Guess the valentine
Guess the valentine
The amorously written word isn’t just the domain of sonnets and serenades. For centuries, all sorts of sweethearts have revealed their distinctly lovey-dovey sides to their paramours, harnessing the potent power of the pen. Read ’em and weep—and see if you can guess whodunnit.
The amorously written word isn’t just the domain of sonnets and serenades. For centuries, all sorts of sweethearts have revealed their distinctly lovey-dovey sides to their paramours, harnessing the potent power of the pen. Read ’em and weep—and see if you can guess whodunnit.
You have no idea how stand-offish I can be with people I don’t love. I have brought it to a fine art. But you have broken down my defences. And I don’t really resent it.
I wander on the beach, and look for you, in vain: and then I say, ‘Where is May?’ and the stupid boatmen reply, ‘It isn’t May, sir! It’s September!’ But it doesn’t comfort me.
I have not spent a day without loving you; I have not spent a night without embracing you; I have not so much as drunk one cup of tea without cursing the pride and ambition which force me to remain apart from the moving spirit of my life.
I have had a thousand kisses, for which with my whole soul I thank love – but if you should deny me the thousand and first - ’twoud put me to the proof how great a misery I could live through… ’twoud hurt my heart – I could not bear it.
I look down the tracks and see you coming – and out of every haze & mist your darling rumpled trousers are hurrying to me – Without you, dearest dearest I couldn’t see or hear of feel or think – or live – I love you so and I’m never in all our lives going to let us be apart another night.
I have left half of myself behind in England and I am only dragging about a bit of myself now. And I dont at all regret the haphazard, unhappy life I’ve led up till now because I dont think that without it I could love you so much.
I have always thought you the cleverest most agreeable, absurd, amiable, perplexing, dangerous fascinating little thing that lives now or ought to have lived 2000 years ago. – I won’t talk to you of beauty, I am no judge, but our beauties cease to be so when near you.
I must break myself of this: there is some natural magic in it, some predestined adorability for me in you, that makes me quite reckless when I am within reach of you… I saw you first in a dream 43 years ago. I have only just remembered it.