The Love of an Adolescent

I come to you with
My new love, It is a
Great and arching love,
Increasing upon itself…

I hate that love at times.
It springs from unwilling needs
Filling me with a
Wretched, helpless richness…

From all the curves
And lengths of me
My love burns with
A dreadful splendor…

My hair is drenched in it;
Fumes breaking forth
Hanging like flames
On my lips and eyelids

I dare not love you
With all this and so
It faints each night
Dawn renews its birth

From all the curves
And lengths of me
My love burns with
A dreadful splendor…

I spread it out with
All its folds about me
And gather it to myself
At night… without… you…

~Wanda Gág, 1921

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