Those Old-Fashioned Lovers

Those Old-Fashioned Lovers

Were seeking their ancient loves

without knowing when or where,

whether that love was inside them,

was hidden in some wood, some stream.

Then as they gazed, it rose behind them.

The water mirrors our thirst,

can force us to rip ourselves apart,

or sacrifice some nameless bore.

See when Theban women burn

incense in Bacchus' shrine,

Cupid doesn't need his spindles.

He strokes our keen ears.

Venus doesn't need a lute.

She pulls at our hearts' threads.

[sonnet]