June 12: "The English Professor," Love, "Man at Work"

Billy Collins misdiagnoses someone . . . 

The English Professor

by: Billy Collins

When I asked him

if he was in love,

he accused me

of anthropomorphizing him.

Love is a word that gets thrown around a lot.  For example, this afternoon, someone offered me a Twix candy bar, and I said, "I love Twix!"  Other examples:  I've claimed to love, at various times, The Godfather, Tracy Chapman songs, long naps, cheddar bay biscuits from Red Lobster, writing poems, and River Phoenix.

Love, in our present age, has been devalued as a concept, and I'm just as guilty as anyone else.  The word "love" used to be reserved for certain bonds or relationships between living creatures.  "Love" indicates a depth of emotion and devotion that can't really be applied to songs or food or inanimate objects.  I love my kids and would sacrifice my life for them.  I also love Cheetos, but I wouldn't donate a kidney to get a family-size bag of them.  See the difference?

I try to be very aware of how I use the word "love" in my everyday conversations, reserving it for when I'm interacting with honest-to-God loved ones--my wife or kids or siblings or close friends or dog.  (Yes, pets can be loved ones.)  I can say "I love you" to them without feeling disingenuous.  I truly do love them.

This evening, I hosted a concert at the library.  A duo named Flagship Romance that I admire a lot.  (I almost used the "l" word.)  They sang almost all completely original songs with harmonies so close they sounded like one voice.  It was a lovely way to end my day.  (NOTE:  "lovely" is a much more usable word that doesn't require a marriage license or birth control or paternity test.)  These performers are obviously very passionate about what they do.  (Dare I use the "l" word?)  They have been blessed with incredible musical talents.

I have been blessed, I think, with writing talents.  I can't imagine a day going by without me scribbling or typing a poem or short story or essay or blog post.  Writing is a part of who I am.  Do I love writing?  Hmmmmm . . . I guess it depends on how your define the word.

The ancient Greeks identified and defined eight different types of love:

1. Eros:  sexual passion
2. Philia:  deep friendship
3. Ludus:  playful love
4. Agape:  love for everyone
5. Pragma:  longstanding love
6. Philautia:  love of the self
7. Storge:  family love
8. Mania:  obsessive love

My love of poetry and writing borders on mania at times.  If I'm working on a piece of writing, I can be more than a little obsessive.  My love for my kids:  storge.  My love for the music of Flagship Romance tonight:  philautia tinged with mania.  

A popular saying these days is "Love is Love."  It's mostly used to confront homophobes and transphobes (basically any kind of love phobe).  You don't pick who you fall in love with.  Love picks you.  Period.  As long as you don't eros you cocker spaniel.

Saint Marty is now going mania the shit out of a bag of M&Ms. 

Man at Work

by: Martin Achatz

If you spy me sitting

on a bench by a lake,

staring at a paddling duck,

please know that I'm hard at work

writing a poem.