Thursday, February 13, 2014

Happy Valentine's Day

I stopped in the library last week and brought home an armload of poetry books. One of the books in my stack is Valentine Poems selected by Myra Cohn Livingston, a sweet little collection that features delightful poems and whimsical illustrations by Patience Brewster.



"My Love is Like a Cabbage" is a traditional English verse.

My love is like a cabbage
     Divided into two,
The leaves I give to others
     but the heart I give to you.

One of my favorite poems from the collection is this one by Emanuel Di Pasquale.


Valentine Thoughts for Mari

I'd like to bunch your lips
into a goldfish pout,
let fly your chestnut hair,
smooth the strands out of your eyes,
stroke your sparrow hand
and say, "Let's go where
               the small brook frets.
               Let's join
               it's silvery play."

                --Emanuel di Pasquale

Read more of Pasquale's work at Contemporary Italian American Writing.

Join Linda at TeacherDance for a love-filled round up of poetry today.

18 comments:

  1. Oh, these are both so enchanting! And I love the illustration. I must get that book! Happy Valentine's Day!

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  2. The Pasquale poem is a gem! Thank you for introducing me to his work. Happy Valentine's Day, Doraine!

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    1. It's marvelous isn't it? I'm so glad Livingston included Pasquale's poem in her collection.

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  3. "My Love is Like a Cabbage" is so much fun to read ! It made me smile! Happy Valentine's Day!

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  4. These are charming! I love that cabbage. I never would have though of that!

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  5. Wonderful poems--thanks for sharing them!

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  6. What odd little love poems! The cabbage one really tickles me.

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    1. Odd is a good description. I think that's what drew me to them. So happy to provide the little tickle!

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  7. Looks like a sweet book. Love the poems you shared :).

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  8. I'll look to see if my library has this sweet book. The poems are wonderful! Happy Valentine's Day!

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  9. I can see why you love Pasquale's poem. How could one resist such an invitation. Myra Cohn Livingston is another poet I should get to know more this year. Thanks for sharing! Happy Valentine's Day!

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  10. I love coming home with stacks of library books! Thanks for sharing some of your treasures!

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  11. Loved them both, but esp. the cabbage one. Beautiful picture with it, too!

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  12. What a treasure of a book! Thanks for sharing.

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