The Romantic

If I were to live in another time and place, it would be in my best judgment for me to pick Greece, Ancient. Athens to be exact. You see, back then, there was less trifling quibble about the correct or incorrectness of being gay or straight. Hates, the word gay, or should I say homosexual, did not rightfully exist in that time. Oh, and was it a time for great Romantic ideas. Heroes, like Hercules, were very sexualized and idolitrized. But in the background of all the god and goddess hoopla, there were a few people who chose to point out a difference in the norm. The first of which has a complete group of people named after her.

Sappho of Lesbos (which is where the world Lesbian comes from, much like we'd call someone from Asia an Asian.)
Sappho was a poet and young maidens were sent to her to learn poetry to recite to her husband on their wedding day. But Aprhodite had a strangling hold on Sappho, to the point of where she found herself falling in love with many of the maidens that were sent to her. No surprise with how much time they spent with one another. So, this poem is the most romantic of poems I've ever come across. The start (even if it does work well for men who love men) is actually a bit of fluff for the maidens to recite. But the second half is where her true feelings for a special girl rings through.

He seems to me equal to gods that man
whoever he is who opposite you
sits and listens close
      to your sweet speaking

and lovely laughin---oh it
puts the heart in my chest on wings
for when I look at you, even a moment, no speaking
      is left in me

no: tongue breaks and thin
fire is racing under skin
and in eyes no sight and drumming
     fills ears

and cold sweat holds me and shaking
grips me all, greener than grass
I am and dead---or almost
      I seem to me.

In other translations, the first part is cut off and it just reads:

There's a moment when I look at you
No speech is left in me
My tongue breaks, thin fire races under my skin
And I tremble
As I grow paler than the reed
For I am dying of such love; or so it seems to me.

Second of these two great lovers would be Plato. He walked a thin line on the sexuality road. But, if he wasn't gay, he was very supportive of gays. He felt that two men or two women should just be happy enough with one another that they wouldn't even need the support of others. Nor would they need marriage. They were the most true to his beliefs of what a soul mate is. In that belief he wrote:

Once a long, long time ago, all people had four legs and two heads. The gods (who were one being) grew jealous and threw thunderbolts down. Each had then, two legs and one head. But the separation left a desperate yearning to be reunited. Now, each person spends their life looking for their soul mate.

So, yes. I would love to be in a time where people regarded love a little higher than anything else. If there truly were an Aphordite, then she'd be the goddess I'd ask for help and worship. But I stick the the love gods that I truly have faith in. The I Am, God. And Krishna. Love is the highest power on the earth, don't forget to love someone. As Jewel sings...

If you love somebody
You better lead it out
Don’t hold it back
While you’re trying to figure it out
Don’t be timid
Don’t be afraid to hurt
Run toward the flame, run toward the fire
Hold on for all your worth

Cause the only real pain
Your heart can never know
Is the feeling of regret
When you don’t let your feeling’s show
So did you say it
Did you mean it
Did you lay it on the line, did you make it count
Did you look ‘em in the eye & did they feel it
Did you say in time
Did you say out loud
Cause if you did Hun
Then you lived some
And that feeling inside
It’s called satisfied

Busy people walkin’ by
I can’t help but worry some
So many things to do
So little love gets done
Empty hearts everywhere
Drowning but dying of thirst
But if you want love, it’s not that tough
Start by giving it first

Cause the only real pain
Your heart can never know
Is the feeling of regret
When you don’t let your feeling’s show
So did you say it
Did you mean it
Did you lay it on the line, did you make it count
Did you look ‘em in the eye & did they feel it
Did you say in time
Did you say out loud
Cause if you did Hun
Well then you lived some
And that feeling inside
That’s called satisfied

Horses were made to run
And the sun was meant to shine above
And flowers were made to bloom
Then there’s us
We were born
To love
We were born
To love
So did you say it
Did you mean it
Did you lay it on the line, did you make it count
Did you look ‘em in the eye & did they feel it
Did you say in time
Did you say out loud… oh
Cause if you did Hun
Well then you lived some
And that feeling inside
It’s called satisfied

So, tell someone you love them today! Whatever day you read this!