# Secret Queer Love and Poetry; Advice Needed **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 8, 2002, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-queer-love-and-poetry-advice-needed/102541 "2002-04-08T19:07:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Eutychus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Eutychus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eutychus)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2002, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-queer-love-and-poetry-advice-needed/102541/21 "2002-04-10T22:41:03Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by Lunatic13 \* > \*\* > **Troy** , yer makin’ me blush. 😉 Since you’re so keen on the poem, then I officially submit it to Teemings._\* And we _will_ be publishing it in the next issue which should hit the 'net on June 1st. I thought it was especially good. If you have any others, I’d be proud to take a look at them ---
**Author:** ![fish\_in\_the\_sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7ba0ec/32.png) [@fish\_in\_the\_sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fish_in_the_sky)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2002, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-queer-love-and-poetry-advice-needed/102541/22 "2002-04-11T16:08:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Eutychus \* > \*\* > > And we _will_ be publishing it in the next issue which should hit the 'net on June 1st. > > I thought it was especially good. If you have any others, I’d be proud to take a look at them \*\* Woo-hoo! I’ll take a look through my notebooks and see what I find. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2002, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-queer-love-and-poetry-advice-needed/102541/23 "2002-04-12T02:43:15Z")
“To Gongyla” — by [symbol]Sapjw[/symbol] Sappho [symbol]Tuide moi nuktoV, kelomai s¢, [/symbol]’[symbol]apelqe, Goggula brodanqi, laboisa Ludan paktin[/symbol]· [symbol]ai se dhute poqoV tiV[/symbol] ’[symbol]ammoV [/symbol]’[symbol]amfipotatai tan kalan[/symbol]· ’[symbol]a gar katagwgiV auta [/symbol]’[symbol]eptoais¢ [/symbol]’[symbol]idoisan, [/symbol]’[symbol]egw de cairw. kai gar auta dh pot¢ [/symbol]’[symbol]ememfoman tan Kuprogenhan[/symbol]·[symbol] [/symbol]’[symbol]aV [/symbol]’[symbol]aramai mh carin [/symbol]’[symbol]abfephn moi touto twpoV, [/symbol]’[symbol]alla se, tan malista bollomai qnatan katidhn gunaikwn [/symbol]’[symbol]ay palin [/symbol]’[symbol]elkhn.[/symbol] Tyide moi nyktos, kelomai s’, apelthe, Gongyla brodanthi, laboisa Lydan paktin; ai se dêyte pothos tis ammos amphipotatai tan kalan a gar katagôgis auta eptoais’ idoisan, egô de chairô. kai gar auta dê pot’ ememphoman tan Kyprogenêan; as aramai mê charin abpherên moi touto tôpos, alla se, tan malista bollomai thnatan katidên gynaikôn aps palin elkên. \*Come hither tonight, I pray, my rosebud Gongyla, and with your Lydian lyre; surely a desire of my heart ever hovers about your lovely self; for the sight of your very robe thrills me, and I rejoice that it is so. Once on a day, I too found fault with the Cyprus-born\*— whose favor I pray these words may lose me not, but rather bring me back again the maiden whom of all womankind I desire the most to see.\* \*Aphrodite. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2002, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-queer-love-and-poetry-advice-needed/102541/24 "2002-04-12T03:08:13Z")
Sorry, I made a couple mistakes in the transliteration. The first word in the first line should read: Tuide. The fourth word in the third line should read: dêute. This poem comes “from a second-century papyrus” (Oxyrhynchus Papyrus 1231.15). I found it in J. M. Edmonds’s _Lyra Graeca_, vol. 1, p. 216-217. Here’s another translation, by Paul Roche: \*Come back to me, Gongyla, here tonight, You, my rose, with your Lydian lyre. There hovers forever around you delight: A beauty desired. Even your garment plunders my eyes. I am enchanted: I who once Complained to the Cyprus-born goddess, Whom I now beseech Never to let this lose me grace But rather bring you back to me: Amongst all mortal women the one I most wish to see. \* from [http://www.sappho.com/poetry/historical/sappho.html](http://www.sappho.com/poetry/historical/sappho.html) ---
**Author:** ![Chef\_Troy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/85f322/32.png) [@Chef\_Troy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chef_Troy)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2002, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-queer-love-and-poetry-advice-needed/102541/25 "2002-04-12T04:35:41Z")
Then there’s this more recent example of lesbian poetry: \*Kiss me Among the bearded barley Lightly Beside the green, green grass Swing, swing Swing those spinning steps You wear those shoes and I will wear that dress, oh Kiss me Beneath the milky twilight Lead me Out on the moonlit floor Lift your open hand Strike up the band And make the fireflies dance… Silver moon’s sparkling… So kiss me. Meet me Beside the broken treehouse Swing me Upon its hanging tire Bring, bring Bring your flowered hat We’ll take the trail marked on your father’s map, oh Kiss me Beneath the milky twilight Lead me Out on the moonlit floor Lift your open hand Strike up the band And make the fireflies dance… Silver moon’s sparkling… So kiss me.\* (I’m doing this from memory, so I may not have it exactly right.) ---
**Author:** ![JillGat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9fc29f/32.png) [@JillGat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JillGat)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2002, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-queer-love-and-poetry-advice-needed/102541/26 "2002-04-12T05:00:06Z")
In a good, normal world, you’d be able to look over at W sometime while you’re walkin along and grin and say, “You know, I have such a crush on you! Don’t worry, you don’t have to reciprocate - just wanted to let you know.” And then move on. I know you’d never do it. She’d probably be flattered though, even if she _is_ straight. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2002, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-queer-love-and-poetry-advice-needed/102541/27 "2002-04-12T16:32:38Z")
Depends a bit on where your community is. Perhaps if it’s in SF, sure, it would be fine to publish. I’m confused as to how one can have such a huge amount of feelings for someone without knowing all that much about them. Sometimes it’s just better to let things be, as changing the nature of a relationship can often have unwanted effects., which can put one into quite an emotional slump, if you catch my drift. ---
**Author:** ![Skijumper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3e96dc/32.png) [@Skijumper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skijumper)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2002, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-queer-love-and-poetry-advice-needed/102541/28 "2002-04-12T20:36:38Z")
I spent four torturous years trying to convince this woman I adored that I was the one for her. I did the poetry thing too. Scribbled a [whole book full](http://www.geocities.com/between_whispers). We became good friends. Then best friends. She kept saying no. I kept saying yes. Finally she said ‘Maybe’. We will be celebrating our third anniversary together this June. It’s not a perfect relationship. But it’s better than anything I imagined. Not that I’m trying to give you false hope. There were times where I was absolutely crushed. (To the point of being suicidal sometimes, no kidding.) But I guess you can never tell what will happen. My thoughts would be - tell her, be prepared for the consequences, don’t regret it. You WILL live through it. ---
**Author:** ![Persephone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecc23a/32.png) [@Persephone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Persephone)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2002, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-queer-love-and-poetry-advice-needed/102541/29 "2002-04-13T02:14:01Z")
**Lunatic13,** I’m an associate editor of Teemings, and the poem was passed on to me as well. All I can say is holy freakin’ Toledo! That is one _outstanding_ piece of writing. I do wish you all the best with W, too. I really do. Where your relationship will go, I do not know–I’m not good at giving advice on relationships. But wherever the two of you end up, I sincerely hope it is in a place that makes both of you happy. ---
**Author:** ![fish\_in\_the\_sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7ba0ec/32.png) [@fish\_in\_the\_sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fish_in_the_sky)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2002, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-queer-love-and-poetry-advice-needed/102541/30 "2002-04-13T02:32:10Z")
**JillGat** : In a good, normal world I wouldn’t be so damned shy, and I would have said something long ago (and in a perfect world W. would’ve responded with a whispered “me too” and a kiss) **handy** yes. thank you. helpful as always. seeing **Persephone** on the preview: A sincere thank-you. 🙂 > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Skijumper \* > \*\*Not that I’m trying to give you false hope. There were times where I was absolutely crushed. (To the point of being suicidal sometimes, no kidding.) > \*\* Yeah. I definitely understand that. ☹ \*\* > [@](#): > > But I guess you can never tell what will happen. My thoughts would be - tell her, be prepared for the consequences, don’t regret it. You WILL live through it. \*\* I dunno. Me & W., it seems more and more hopeless. Seems like I should just give it up. I might tell her now, just because it is so hopeless now, and taking initiative after it’s too late for anything to happen would be so typically stupid-me. Our college’s spring break is coming up, and I won’t see W. for about 10 days. I’m thinking I might send her an e-mail and finally confess; I’d close with something along the lines of “…and if you want you can just ignore this, and I’ll never bring up the subject in real life if it really freaks you out that much.” And I would. If avoiding me makes her happy, I’d do that for her, I’d relieve her of the burden of having to know me. ::sigh:: Oh, it’s just been a tumultuous week, and a very tumultuous today. I think I’m probably just going to mope tonight, try not to think about it at all this weekend, eventually chicken out and NOT tell her, then brood over that for the next several months. Thanks to everyone for your advice and concern. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/secret-queer-love-and-poetry-advice-needed/102541.md?page=1)