
Almost nothing turns me on more than a man sharing his favorite poems with me. I'd take a man who knows his cunning linguists well over one who is an expert at that other thing any day of the week.
I've dated four guys who won me over thanks, in large part, to poetry. Is it a coincidence that these are the men I remember most fondly and vividly? I don't think so. Two liked to snail mail their favorite poems to me. All four liked to read verse out loud to me now and then — and believe me, it is hot when a dude ventriloquizes Yeats, for example, in order to say:
WHEN you are old and gray and full of sleep
And nodding by the fire, take down this book,
And slowly read...
How many loved your moments of glad grace,
And loved your beauty with love false or true;
But one man loved the pilgrim soul in you,
And loved the sorrows of your changing face.
From my poetry-loving seducers, I've learned how powerful it can be when I turn things around and throw down some poetry in front of a man myself. And today, in honor of her new book of poetry, Ideal Cities, I asked my very dear friend Erika Meitner to tell us her favorite poems for every romantic (and not-so-romantic) occasion.
Here were her picks:
For when you like a guy a ton, and you want him to think you're cool...
"Knowing You Could Is Better Than Knowing You Will" by Mark Bibbins
Excerpt:
I must see you; let's meet at the fringes of respectability
at quarter past nine. We could straddle the oft-licked
curb (it's the repetition we like).
For when you are thinking sweet, dirty thoughts about him...
This little ditty by e.e. cummings (the patron poet of email messages)
Excerpt:
i like my body when it is with your
body. It is so quite new a thing.
For when you suddenly realize you (really) love him...
"Morning" by Frank O'Hara
Excerpt:
do you know how it is
when you are the only
passenger if there is a
place further from me
I beg you do not go
(I, Maura, also recommend this one — "Your Catfish Friend" by Richard Brautigan — for moments when you are feeling especially lovey-dovey and devoted.)
For a booty call...
This short, sweet one by Matthew Rohrer
Excerpt:
You called, you're on the train, on Sunday,
I have just taken a shower and await
you. Clouds are slipping in off the ocean,
but the room is gently lit by the green
shirt you gave me.
For when you're (really) pissed at him...
This untitled poem by Jill Alexander Essbaum
Excerpt:
The heart that's had
Enough
Stays shut.
For when you have ended things, and you want to let him down gently... (Also good for when you want to defensively explain why you went along with something you knew would end...)
"Failing and Flying" by Jack Gilbert
Excerpt:
Everyone forgets that Icarus also flew.
It's the same when love comes to an end,
or the marriage fails and people say
they knew it was a mistake, that everybody
said it would never work. That she was
old enough to know better. But anything
worth doing is worth doing badly.
For when he's been a real douchebag, and you want to make that perfectly clear...
"Unwritten Law" by Louise Gluck
Excerpt:
I blessed my good fortune in you.
Blessed it absolutely....
And you in your wisdom and cruelty
gradually taught me the meaninglessness of that term.
Folks, Erika and I would be so tickled if you weigh in with your thoughts about the best poems for all the stages of a love affair — or simply your reactions to these.
-
Tia Is Launching Fertility—and Preparing for a Post-Roe America
As women's healthcare startup Tia was gearing up to debut fertility care and a new clinic, the Roe v. Wade leak prompted CEO Carolyn Witte to accelerate plans to offer medication abortions, marking the most defining moment yet for the company.
By Tanya Benedicto Klich
-
The Cannes Film Festival 2022: The Best Red Carpet Looks
Here's what everyone wore for the festival's 75th year.
By Sara Holzman
-
Why the Royals Have to Adhere to Strict Dining Rules, According to an Etiquette Expert
Imagine the infamy of sticking your pinky out when drinking tea, LOL.
By Iris Goldsztajn
-
The 50 Best Vibrators, According to Sex Toy Experts
The most trusted source in feelin' yourself.
By Alanna Greco
-
The 16 Best Sex Games to Spice Up Date Night With
Game night, but make it hot.
By The Editors
-
COVID Forced My Polyamorous Marriage to Become Monogamous
For Melanie LaForce, pandemic-induced social distancing guidelines meant she could no longer see men outside of her marriage. But monogamy didn't just change her relationship with her husband—it changed her relationship with herself.
By Melanie LaForce
-
Four Flirting Fun Facts--With Research to Back Them Up!
My pal Judy Dutton just wrote an excellent new book: How We Do It: How the Science of Sex Can Make You a Better Lover. She's chatted with me about the psychological studies that show how best to flirt; what kind of pick-up lines work best; and what you're really saying with your body language.
By Maura Kelly
-
100 Sex Songs That Won't Make You Cringe
Dim the lights and hit play on this sex songs — the perfect playlist of songs to have sex to.
By The Editors
-
75 Movie Sex Scenes That Are 100 Percent Real
These actors aren't faking anything.
By Mehera Bonner
-
33 Unexpected Valentine's Day 2022 Date Ideas
A.k.a. not dinner and roses.
By The Editors
-
Cult Status Satisfyer Vibrators Are Under $40 for Prime Day
4 stars, 16k reviews...yeah, this vibe's got a massive fan club (for good reason).
By Carina Hsieh