Love is a cunning weaver of fantasies and fables.

Well, it's February, and while I usually don't celebrate Heterosexuality Day er, "Valentine's Day", I've decided to use it as an excuse to spend the month posting love poems. Because life is really good right now, and deep down underneath this curmudgeonly Mo-ish exterior, I'm really a mushy fuzzy wuzzy romantic. So, love poems. Gay and otherwise. Nothing too tragic. Funny ones (there will much Wendy Cope), and sexy ones, and ones about all kinds of love, not just strictly romantic.

So let's start off with some of my favorite Sappho fragments.

Love shook my heart
like the wind on the mountain
rushing over the oak trees

I ran after you
like a small child
flying
to her mother

I do not believe
the light of day will ever see
another woman,
now, or in time to come, who will
rival you in skill

You have come and you--
oh, I was longing for you--
have cooled my heart
which was burning with desire

I want you to know
I prayed that for us
the night
could last twice as long.

While you're at it, check out a beautiful translation of Sappho's most famous poem over at Desperate Kingdoms. And swing by Cleis' blog Sappho's Breathing.