Edna St. Vincent Millay
What lips my lips have kissed, and where, and why,I have forgotten, and what arms have lain
Under my head till morning; but the rain
Is full of ghosts tonight, that tap and sigh
Upon the glass and listen for reply;
And in my heart there stirs a quiet pain
For unremembered lads that not again
Will turn to me at midnight with a cry.
Thus in the winter stands a lonely tree,
Nor knows what birds have vanished one by one,
Yet know its boughs more silent than before:
I cannot say what loves have come and gone;
I only know that summer sang in me
A little while, that in me sings no more.
There is a scene in "Four Weddings And A funeral" where Andy McDowell enumerates her lovers of the past. I love that scene first because it is funny and second because old lovers should be remembered, both the good and the bad.
Less than Madonna More than Princess Di (I Hope)
So, do you "remember" the lips you've kissed and where and why? I do, but I have been very fortunate in the men in my life even the ones who did me wrong or were just "passing through".
3 comments:
Having not pressed my lips to any others for close to nine very long years all I can do is remember those from the past and there are indeed some very nice remembrances in there.
I may not remember all of the wheres and whys but I do remember the men those lips belonged to and those memories bring a smile to my lips even all these years later!
I confess that I sometimes can't for the life of me remember the "why."
I think that if one can remember past loves with perspective, then I'd agree that the memories can be held without too much issue.
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