'Romantic But Not Comfortable'
a Valentine's poem inspired by "Emily of New Moon" by L.M. Montgomery
Hello, Poetry Friend
A couple of years ago I read L.M. Montgomery’s Emily series with a few writerly friends. I had read all the Anne books and wasn’t sure I had enough love-room left for Emily. But this dark-haired, determined young writer won me over.
Chapter 21 of Emily of New Moon is titled “Romantic But Not Comfortable.” Well if that isn’t a poem title, I don’t know what is. So I wrote about how awkward love is in every way — physically as well as emotionally. This is one of the first love poems I ever wrote, and I wrote it well before I started writing them in earnest for Love and other Mysteries.
To love’s discomforts, this almost-Valentine’s Day!
Romantic But Not Comfortable chapter 21, Emily of New Moon, by L.M. Montgomery Anyone foolish enough to have been twitterpated in spring knows love is all elbows and pollen. One minute your thumper foot won’t quit thumping, and the next you’re scribbling free verse that would wrest a wince from the Wind Woman. These young bucks with marriage on their minds, those flirtatious does, they all assume heartsease. But no— love is a spring storm. The power goes out and the water runs where you don’t want it and you huddle with your newfound beau— his legs too long, your mouth trembling too much to kiss. – Megan Willome
Happy poeming!
Megan
I love seeing Emily here! Like Melanie, I always identified with her more.
I love Emily. I've always identified with quiet Emily more than with fiery red-headed Anne-- though don't get me wrong, I adore Anne too. I do not however like the Dean subplot-- ick!
I love how you've pulled twitterpated out of my childhood memories of Bambi and embroidered it into something that feels a bit more sophisticated and yet that still captures exactly so much of what Bambi was trying to say (all the stuff that goes over your head when you're a kid, but the adults in the audience presumably got.)
"love is all elbows and pollen" is such an evocative phrase.
"you're scribbling free verse
that would wrest a wince from the Wind Woman" is such a lovely Emily-ism and delicious alliteration.
"heartsease" is another delicious word-- I like the implicit echo of heart/hart.