h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Which I recall in part, every now and then, and go looking for on the web - now I´m putting it here, so I can always find it! I first encountered it as a quote of the second line, in my favourite Georgette Heyer novel - Venetia. I like the way it is so confident and determined at the beginning, yet at the end we see just a glimmer of hope remains. It seems to hint at denial, a river in Egypt, which is a significant theme in my life. (sorry if I´m being very cryptic).

Enough drivel: the poem


Since there’s no help, come let us kiss and part;
Nay, I have done, you get no more of me,
And I am glad, yea glad with all my heart
That thus so cleanly I myself can free;
Shake hands for ever, cancel all our vows,
And when we meet at any time again,
Be it not seen in either of our brows
That we one jot of former love retain.
Now at the last gasp of Love’s latest breath,
When, his pulse failing, Passion speechless lies,
When Faith is kneeling by his bed of death,
And Innocence is closing up his eyes,
Now if thou wouldst, when all have given him over,
From death to life thou mightst him yet recover.

Michael Drayton (1563-1631) ´

A reference: http://www.luminarium.org/renlit/draybib.htm



And some more random associations which I think are kind of similar: a song by Alanis Morrisette ´Precious Illusions´ (These precious illusions in my head did not let me down When I was defenseless) and one of my favourite Something for Kate songs ´Moving Right Along´ (Did you get angry?
Did you get scared?
No I didn't think so,
You were just getting some air)

Maybe that´s intended to be true, and I hope so, but I always hear it with a vague feeling of irony...

That´s enough for now, time for a dance class

Love to all

I was so startled by the poem that I didn't really comment on it. I did once have an affair like the one that Venetia had with Demerel, but unfortunately I couldn't untangle the knot and we did part. It still hurts, and I still feel *exactly* the way Drayton expresses it.

Thank you for digging it up and putting it here.

Ben

holy cow!
so people working in council can still be literary on occasion... ever since I read the collector i've been a bit scared to go near a council worker. (or maybe that was because of all the big maori girls in Mosman Park?)
anyway, I'm glad you're still alive, and still poetic. has this poem any relevance in your current romantic entanglements?

nosy as ever,

k