James Fenton
In Paris With You
Don't talk to me of love. I've had an earful
And I get tearful when I've downed a drink or two.
I'm one of your talking wounded.
I'm a hostage. I'm maroonded.
But I'm in Paris with you.
Yes I'm angry at the way I've been bamboozled
And resentful at the mess I've been through.
I admit I'm on the rebound
And I don't care where are we bound.
I'm in Paris with you.
Do you mind if we do not go to the Louvre
If we say sod off to sodding Notre Dame,
If we skip the Champs Elysées
And remain here in this sleazy
Old hotel room
Doing this and that
To what and whom
Learning who you are,
Learning what I am.
Don't talk to me of love. Let's talk of Paris,
The little bit of Paris in our view.
There's that crack across the ceiling
And the hotel walls are peeling
And I'm in Paris with you.
Don't talk to me of love. Let's talk of Paris.
I'm in Paris with the slightest thing you do.
I'm in Paris with your eyes, your mouth,
I'm in Paris with... all points south.
Am I embarrassing you?
I'm in Paris with you.
Read poems about / on: paris, love
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The usual cliches of love poetry are wiped away by the particulars of a shoddy hotel room, and focused on the lover, the reality, the authentic flesh and feeling.
No clichesterol. Healthy, tonic. Excellente.
The usual cliches of love poetry are wiped away by the partiulars of a shoddy hotel room, and focused on the lover, the reality, the authentic flesh and feeling.
No clichesterol. Healthy, tonic. Excellente.
Beautiful poem, really, I am wrriting my PhD Thesis on Fenton´s poetry and this one poem was one of the reasons I wanted to get deeper and deeper into his work. A particular love poem with a verz european atmosphere. Really good stuff.