Just Ask Dante

i really don't know what the world would
be like without women.

and i know i sometimes have my chauvinistic prejudices
but i apologize, and i don't really mean it.

there's this girl.
and i can't stop thinking about her.
sleep is no escape, she invades my dreams
it's for her i roll out of bed
to face the barrage of the coming day.

she loves me
and i love her.

that is real.

and even if she doesn't know i exist
there's always that Beatrice that I follow
through hell.

she's why i get up

why every guy gets up.

i'm telling you, nothing would get done without women.

i look back and see what i've done because of her.

always remember her
and honor her--
whether she belongs to you
or doesn't know you exist.


Mad props to Mike for writing that. I was looking through back issues of Etcetera today. Some really good poetry in there, some stuff that I remeber hearing at the time and almost dismissing off hand, but now I think I might actually get some of it. Some of the fun is in trying to discern which poems come from real thoughts and emotions, and which are just a retelling of cliches. I think this one is a real poem. Everyone has their own personal Beatrice, that one person who they would do anything for. Those of us who are lucky get to have their heroine know who they are, and the rest of us just get to keep on living each day in constant want for that one moment of perfection. Perfection is only that moment, you see. Perfection is a single instant and is not repeatable, and it is this that seperates perfection from mere excellence.

No bitterness, here, truly. I've seen perfection once or twice. In real love... In absolute joy.... Never anything carnal or in any other way tainted, but that state of bliss that comes from the even mix of wisdom, purity, helplessness, and awareness.