Brokeback Mountain: Our Community's Common Bond > Brokeback Mountain Fan Fiction & Poetry
A Sonnet for Jack
magicmountain:
Here is another sonnet to Jack from Sonnets from the Portuguese by Elizabeth Barrett Browning
XLIII
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.
I love thee to the level of everyday's
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.
I love thee with the passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints,--I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life!--and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.
Kerry:
--- Quote from: magicmountain on December 16, 2006, 11:31:57 pm ---Here is another sonnet to Jack from Sonnets from the Portuguese by Elizabeth Barrett Browning
I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life!--and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.
--- End quote ---
:'( Thank you for posting that beautiful EBB sonnet, MM. It sure got me good! :'(
twistedude:
The old disappears, and the new taikes its place. I wrote out "When in disgrace.." from memory about 4 months ago, and it's now on page two or three, with a lot of other "poems that remind you of Jack and Ennis."
But thy sweet love remembered such wealth brings
I then do scorn to change my state with kings...
Kerry:
--- Quote from: twistedude on December 17, 2006, 06:16:31 am ---The old disappears, and the new taikes its place. I wrote out "When in disgrace.." from memory about 4 months ago, and it's now on page two or three, with a lot of other "poems that remind you of Jack and Ennis."
--- End quote ---
Sincere apologies, Twistedude. I didn't realize you had already posted it. I haven't been here long and I guess I was just swept away by the romantic atmosphere that pervades BetterMost. I should have done a search before posting. I am so impressed that you quoted it by heart :o. Sadly, I cannot make that claim. It was a case of cut and paste for me :-\.
I've just had a quick look back at previous posts and can't locate the following poem anywhere. Apologies if it's already been posted. It's called "The Passionate Shepherd to His Love" and was written by Christopher Marlowe (1564-1593). I can't help but hear Jack's voice here, cooing gently in Ennis' ear, as they cuddle-up together by the campfire at night. Note the references to shepherds, mountains and rivers - even roses (stemmed or otherwise ;) LOL). But the most poignant and relevant line for all of us here must be, "Come live with me, and be my love." It is so reminiscent of Jack's plaintive entreaty, "What if you and me had a little ranch together somewhere, little cow and calf operation, it'd be some sweet life":
"Come live with me, and be my love;
And we will all the pleasures prove
That hills and valleys, dales and fields,
Woods, or steepy mountain yields.
And we will sit upon the rocks,
Seeing the shepherds feed their flocks
By shallow rivers, to whose falls
Melodious birds sing madrigals.
And I will make thee beds of roses
And a thousand fragrant posies;
A cap of flowers, and a kirtle
Embroidered all with leaves of myrtle;
A gown made of the finest wool
Which from our pretty lambs we pull;
Fair-lined slippers for the cold,
With buckles of the purest gold;
A belt of straw and ivy-buds,
With coral clasps and amber-studs:
And if these pleasures may thee move,
Come live with me, and be my love.
The shepherd-swains shall dance and sing
For thy delight each May-morning:
If these delights thy mind may move,
Then live with me and be my love."
Kerry
Lynne:
--- Quote from: Kerry on December 18, 2006, 08:03:53 am ---Sincere apologies, Twistedude. I didn't realize you had already posted it. I haven't been here long and I guess I was just swept away by the romantic atmosphere that pervades BetterMost. I should have done a search before posting. I am so impressed that you quoted it by heart :o. Sadly, I cannot make that claim. It was a case of cut and paste for me :-\.
--- End quote ---
No apologies necessary on anyone's part! Just a different way of 'bumping' an old thread - we have nothing here but space and opportunity! 'Sides, if I had a nickel for every time I repeat myself...;)
I love the image of Jack as shepherd! 'Come live with me and be my love'
**sigh**
You've reminded me of an old thread that does some Jack/shepherd analysis and has a poem by St. John of the Cross:
http://bettermost.net/forum/index.php?topic=1137.msg130961#msg130961
-Lynne
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