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Love’s Labour’s Lost: A Ghazal-Cento in Alexandrines
by James Green
Damn those Beatles for singing love is all you need.
They also should have sung, “In time, all hearts must bleed.”
For I believed the one I needed would find me
eventually, although I learned the heart can bleed.
She sang, do come away with me into the night.
A siren song! That’s when my heart began to bleed.
Like Lady Greensleeves all those years ago, she crooned,
and then she cast me off! Cared not this heart would bleed.
When evening shadows first appear and you alone
must dry your tears, that’s when you find your heart will bleed.
And so I say, Girl, I am sorry I was blind.
Forever on my mind, you made my heart to bleed.
Both to be wise and love exceeds man’s might, ‘tis true!
For I gave all my heart and lost, now none is left to bleed.
Greensleeves was my delight, Greensleeves my heart of gold.
Though should she sing again, again this heart might bleed.
Cento credits:
Love’s Labour’s Lost
Shakespeare
Love is all you need.
The Beatles, “All You Need is Love”
Still, I believed somehow the one I needed would find me eventually.
Mariah Carey, “Vision of Love”
Come away with me in the night and I will sing you a song.
Norah Jones, “Come Away with Me”
When the evening shadows and the stars appear.
And there is no one there to dry your tears
Adele, “Make You Feel My Love”
Girl I’m sorry, I was blind. You were always on my mind.
Willie Nelson, “Something You Get Though”
To be wise and love exceeds man’s might.
Shakespeare, Troilus & Cressida
For he gave all his heart and lost.
W.B. Yeats, “Never Give All the Heart”
Alas my love you do me wrong
to cast me off discourteously;
And I have loved you oh so long,
delighting in your company
Greensleeves was my delight,
Greensleeves my heart of gold
“Greensleeves” (anonymous 16th Century folksong)
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