Gorgeous Words

Words aren’t supposed to mean anything. Actions speak louder than words. A penny for your thoughts. Sticks and stones. (Which by the way is wrong. Words do hurt.)

But words move me. Sometimes, actually most times, it’s my own interpretation of the words and my own imagination and hope. Not necessarily the person sharing them, and definitely not necessarily because there is any true meaning behind them. If you remember the first heartbreak you remember that after all, words are only words.

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My high school English teacher adored Annabelle Lee, by Edgar Allan Poe. Or maybe I just adored Annabelle Lee and my teacher happens to be in that memory.

I was a child and she was a child,
In this kingdom by the sea;
But we loved with a love that was more than love -
I and my Annabel Lee;

“Can you imagine loving someone with a love that is more than love?” she asked us.

Yes I can, I thought.

“This,” she said, “is gorgeous.”

Yes, I thought. Words can be gorgeous.

Months, maybe even a year or so later, she was picking out shoes for a niece at the store that I was working at. I don’t know if she even recognized or remembered me. “You have gorgeous skin,” she told me. “Absolutely gorgeous.”

Me and Annabelle Lee.

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I’ve shared this story by Haruki Murikami personally with a handful of people. A group of gorgeous, moving words that to some, aren’t worth anything. This, my friends is the definition of a tragic love story. Romeo and Juliet were just dumb. Girl fakes her death, guy kills himself for real, girl wakes up and sees guy dead and kills herself. Dumb.

But the 100% Perfect Girl and Guy. They’re different.

If I shared this story with you and you told me, “I am afraid to feel too much. The distance, the waiting. But if you are the 100% perfect girl for me. I will go anywhere.”

That’s no penny for your thoughts kind of jig. That may quite possibly be worth all of me and if it just happens to be 14 years later and in April when you tell me this, those words will eternally move with me and for me.

Because in my heart, you have made my favorite words dance the fairy dance, and flitter and flutter like the butterflies we all long for and chase after. True, my favorite story may be ruined and changed, because every time from that point on, I will think of you. And I will remember.

Sorry, Romeo and Juliet can’t do that.

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You think I’d leave your side baby?
You know me better than that
You think I’d leave down when your down on your knees?
I wouldn’t do that

I’ll do you right when your wrong
I—–ohhh, ohhh

If only you could see into me

oh, when your cold
I’ll be there to hold you tight to me
When your on the outside baby and you can’t get in
I will show you, your so much better than you know
When your lost, when your alone and you can’t get back again
I will find you darling I’ll bring you home

If you want to cry
I am here to dry your eyes
and in no time you’ll be fine

You think I’d leave your side baby
You know me better than that
You think I’d leave you down when your down on your kness
I wouldn’t do that

I’ll do you right when your wrong
I—–I, ohhhh, ohhh

If only you could see into me

Oh when your cold
I’ll be there
To hold you tight to me
Oh when your alone
I’l be there by your side baby