I'll always love you Sappho, my love of yesteryear.
A graceless child you thought me
but took my hand and loved me with a kind of love that burned.
Each night, you took
a little more of me
and each night, I gave you
more without thinking.
You brushed my hair
you kissed my lips
you dressed me in lace and silk then took me to your bed.
Like a butterfly, I fluttered.
I shivered when you touched me and gasped for air;
I could not breathe and begged for your mouth on my skin.
I loved you Sappho
a love so joyous, a love without guilt. I was drunk with your light.
Now another has come into my life. A tender child of eighteen and in her love
I find my youth again.
I brush her hair
I kiss her lips
I dressed her in lace and silk then take her to our bed.
She touches me and I die for her
I hold her and she cries for me
and everything is fresh and new.
Read A Short Biography of Sappho the ancient world's greatest poet
This poem is part of the collection of poems Sappho
A few words about the poem…
The Power of Love and the Pain of Loss - A Tribute to Sappho
Sappho, the ancient Greek poetess is renowned for her passionate and lyrical poetry that explored themes of love and loss. One of her most famous works is the “Ode to Atthis” a love poem describing her relationship with her young pupil. Sappho's portrayal of her at the beginning of their relationship has been the subject of much debate and scholarly analysis.
The coming-of-age tribute to Sappho is an imagined view of the blossoming of the romantic affair between the two lovers and it serves as a testament to the enduring power of love and the pain of loss. Even though Atthis is often maligned for abandoning Sappho, the poem attempts to give her a voice to explain the breakdown of their relationship from her point of view. It is a poignant reminder of the complexities of love and the challenges that come with it.
The poem is divided into two parts. Atthis, describes her relationship with Sappho and reminisces about their intense love. Sappho's dominance appears to have been so strong that Atthis had to walk away to find someone else who would provide her with an equal partnership. The poem serves as a comment about relationships, where one partner's power and control can drive the other away, capturing the intensity of such love and the powerful emotions it evokes.
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