Love Song for Love Songs by Rafael Campo

Love Song for Love Songs

by Rafael Campo

(published on the Academy of American Poets website)

A golden age of love songs and we still

can't get it right. Does your kiss really taste

like butter cream? To me, the moon's bright face

was neither like a pizza pie nor full;

the Beguine began, but my eyelid twitched.

"No more I love you's," someone else assured

us, pouring out her heart, in love (of course)—

what bothers me the most is that high-pitched,

undone whine of "Why am I so alone?"

Such rueful misery is closer to

the truth, but once you turn the lamp down low

,you must admit that he is still the one,

and baby, baby he makes you so dumb

you sing in the shower at the top of your lungs.