That Bittersweet Bird- A Cento No one who has ever been in love sits like a god, The man the poet almost dies;(2) empty and upright(1) Falling in love, it seems, dislocates your view of what is significant(2) Is this more satisfying? (3) In the language of gods desire itself is known as ‘the winged one’(2) Winged sparrow, little starling,1 devil-sparrow(4) Relationships once so prized have begun to erode(4) But the bitterness is less obvious(2) If the word love be used not too loosely(3) It is hard to translate(2) The natural expression of affection The love which is pure enjoyment(3) Romantic involvement(4) Not knowing how to name the thing, we try to speak some word(1) Eros is an issue of boundaries(2) Paths to the heart1 no one has been in(2) But when the hunt is up and the quarry is in sight(3) A bird sounds out whatever in us hollowed(1) Sources 1 “Elsewhere, That Small” by Monica Berlin 2 “Eros the Bittersweet” by Anne Carson 3 “The Mind and Heart of Love” by M.C. D’Arcy 4 “Pikachu’s Global Adventure” by Joseph Tobin

My favorite author is Rick Riordan, author of the Percy Jackson series. What makes Riordan my favorite author is his ability to keep me on the edge of my seat waiting for the next punch (or punchline). His characters are endearing, frustrating, and (like most of us) more than a bit messed up. I know that whenever I read one of Riordan’s book I will end up laughing one chapter and crying the next.