Blogging friends, there is so much going on here, one way or another, that reluctantly I realise I will have to take a brief blogging break. I should be back at the beginning of the week after next. I’ll try to catch up on my blog reading, too.
I’ve just finished reading the outstandingly good biography of Sylvia Plath and Ted Hughes by Janet Malcolm, entitled The Silent Woman. So in my absence I leave you with Ted Hughes’ poem that commemorates the iconic moment when Hughes first kissed Plath and in return she bit him on the cheek. You’d think they might both have drawn some conclusions from that.
Lovesong
He loved her and she loved him. His kisses sucked out her whole past and future or tried to He had no other appetite She bit him she gnawed him she sucked She wanted him complete inside her Safe and sure forever and ever Their little cries fluttered into the curtains Her eyes wanted nothing to get away Her looks nailed down his hands his wrists his elbows He gripped her hard so that life Should not drag her from that moment He wanted all future to cease He wanted to topple with his arms round her Off that moment's brink and into nothing Or everlasting or whatever there was Her embrace was an immense press To print him into her bones His smiles were the garrets of a fairy palace Where the real world would never come Her smiles were spider bites So he would lie still till she felt hungry His words were occupying armies Her laughs were an assassin's attempts His looks were bullets daggers of revenge His glances were ghosts in the corner with horrible secrets His whispers were whips and jackboots Her kisses were lawyers steadily writing His caresses were the last hooks of a castaway Her love-tricks were the grinding of locks And their deep cries crawled over the floors Like an animal dragging a great trap His promises were the surgeon's gag Her promises took the top off his skull She would get a brooch made of it His vows pulled out all her sinews He showed her how to make a love-knot Her vows put his eyes in formalin At the back of her secret drawer Their screams stuck in the wall Their heads fell apart into sleep like the two halves Of a lopped melon, but love is hard to stop In their entwined sleep they exchanged arms and legs In their dreams their brains took each other hostage In the morning they wore each other's face. p.s. Sorry about the horrid typeface - I'm still wrestling with wordpress....
Thanks for the poem. It’s rather violent. You’d think they would have known. Have a good blogging break!
Dear litlove, whatever is taking you from us I hope is pleasurable and voluntary. A friend once shared this Ted Hughes poem with me, knowing somehow I would like it, and I was compelled to write my own version, the only way I know how, in 299 words. I call mine “Love Bites.” It doesn’t, at least not always. Enjoy your break. We will wait impatiently for your return.
Thanks for the poem, and good luck with all you’ve got going on. You’ll be in our thoughts, and I’ll so look forward to your return to the blogging community. Take care.
An amazing poem! Will look forward to your return in a few weeks.
Very difficult to write a comment about a poem like this. Very difficult to find an adequate adjective to describe my amazement. I hope your break goes well and finds you writing more like it.
Hmmm…just realized that the poem is by Ted Hughes. Ouch, embarrassment.
What a great poem – the violence of Love. All the best for your brief break.
What interesting people Sylvia and Ted were.
Hope your break is restful in some way.
What a poem! What a relationship. Hope your blogging break is what you need it to be (productive, restful, whatever is best!). Look forward to your return 🙂
blogging breaks are so important. enjoy yours. we will be here when you return.
Oh the power of simple black marks upon white…an amazing poem. Enjoy your break but I have only recently discovered your blog so please don’t be too long…
I hope you have a productive break! I’ve got The Silent Woman on the way, and I’m looking forward to it.
Rest and renew, Litlove. Hope all goes well with life in the real world.
Thanks for the info on this book. It’s one of few about Plath I haven’t read. Off to search for it now…
Stefanie – your comment made me laugh! Thank you – I’ll be back soon. Dear David – such a lovely comment from you. Love may not bite but it might nip a little, right? I remember Love Bites very well indeed and thought it as marvellous as all your writing. Every time I visit your site I see you have ever more loving and admiring supporters, so you’ll not miss me! Emily – bless you and thank you again for our earlier exchange. You are a sweetheart. Cam – so very glad you liked it! I’ll see you soon. Ian – you made my day, no my week, by thinking I could possibly write like Ted Hughes. Thank you. Pete – thank you so much. I’ll tell all the stories on my return. Simon – it’s amazing to think of all that’s been written about them! And thank you for your kind wishes. Gentle Reader – lol! The poem and the relationship are well matched! Thank you, and I’ll be back soon. Courtney – I never like taking them, but in the end they always do me good. I’ll miss you, though. PJ – never fear, I will be back at the beginning of next week. And welcome to the reading room – it’s lovely to have you along! Dorothy – oh now I’m really looking forward to hearing what you have to say about it. I do think you’ll be interested by it. Ravenous – thank you so much for your lovely wishes. And I can thoroughly recommend the book. I’ll review it properly when I’m back.
That’s a pretty passionate poem! I’d like to read more about Sylvia Plath–I’ve only read The Bell Jar and some of her poetry (a long time ago). Have a good break–I hope you get lots done!
Dear Litlove, have a good break. Rest, relax, recharge, feel better.
Litlove: hope you are having a really enjoyable break. Thanks for passing by on my blog.
Love the poem by the way and wish I could read so much more than I can cramp in on any one day and in any one week and month and year…..
Litlove, I actually like the typeface by the way. It’s so old school and literary.
P.S. I commented back to your comment on my blog, also. Sorry it took me awhile! I forgot to check my comments.