Spinoza on Love

In Amsterdam, that curious strand,
a man of trading blood was banned
for thinking it was very odd
for man to worship man in God
and not the God of love's demand.

Demand of me, my Love, demand
I give up all to understand
the ordinary and the odd
in Amsterdam.

Devoting all to understand
what stayed or traded on that strand,
he thought, therefore I am--how odd!--
the intellectual love of God,
the love that binds, what once was banned
in Amsterdam.

Comments

Anonymous said…
i like this poem. i can never write rhymes and not make them sound sing songy. good job. i like "a man of trading blood"

-jason
1:52 PM
Jee Leong said…
Glad you like it, Jason.
12:29 PM
Eric Norris said…
I was looking for a copy of Auden's poem "Fleet Visit" while standing in the vestibule of the 8:39 Express from Stamford, and I came across a posting on your blog from May of last year, and I decided to read a little more about you. And suddenly I found myself here.

"Spinoza on Love" is a wonderful poem. Playful, profound, and poignant--like the emotion of love itself. This is one of the best new poems I have read in a very long time.

I think I am going to read the rest of your poems...

All the best,
-Eric
10:53 AM
Jee Leong said…
You never know where the 8:39 Express from Stamford will bring you! Thanks for reading!
10:04 PM
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