Susan Trott's novel Sightings have the readers, along with the insouciant heroine Sunny, pining for a mysterious lover cum spy in Paris named Masefield. They met in Paris and got separated when Sunny had to go home to Inverness. They met again years after.
To my Masefield,
You are here. I can't remember why I waited for you. After all, you have been here long before I found you.
Long before you kissed me mad.
Was it just a shadow I knew? A shadow in the labyrynth that was Paris?
You have followed and assumed that I would feel.
When I discovered that I loved you, it was entirely out of nowhere, out of the hinges of a need, a breath held for so long that I need to catch.
But what does it matter how I loved you, it is there and you are here.
If I ask you now, would the air around not turn blue or anything out of hue? Would you present me with an answer, an answer please designed to wake me where I sleep.
If I ask you why, would you lie to keep me here?
Or would you challenge my own being or love ... or understanding.
What does it matter if you love me.
It is there and you are here.
Your Sunny
ah, this 'before you kissed me mad'
ReplyDeletesuch a revelatory line. and the repetition of 'it is there and you are here' borders on an affirmation of the speaker to herself. a reminder that she dare not let her heart free.
Your character has asked the impassioned questions about love, and its origins in a way your reader can relate to so well.
ReplyDeleteAnd these words say so much: '...out of the hinges of a need'
A beautiful and romantic epistle.......I loved reading it!
ReplyDeleteA fascinating letter of longing for one so far away. Enjoyed this. I am late doing the Real Toads prompt, so I will share my link here:
ReplyDeleteStunning work! The letter makes me feel SO warm on this chilly winter night.
As I am late accepting this challenge, I am going to share my link here, hoping you'll visit:
http://inthecornerofmyeye.blogspot.com/2011/12/letter-from-mary-to-god.html
and hope you will visit as well.
Is there anywhere farther away from Paris than Inverness?
ReplyDeleteI don't know the characters or their situation but I love the epistle. "Would the air around not turn blue?" is delightful.
Kay, Alberta, Canada
An Unfittie’s Guide to Adventurous Travel
Makes me want to read the novel "Sightings."
ReplyDelete