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pridepages · 11 months

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Philatos: The Song of Achilles

I just finished The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller. I have thoughts...

Here there be spoilers!

Madeline Miller’s The Song of Achilles is a classic in more than one sense. Any baby gay or ally looking for gateway LGBTQIA+ literature will inevitably find this book on every list (quite likely near the top). Its source material is classical greek poetry, and one of the most famous love stories of the mythology: that of Achilles and Patroclus. You’ve probably heard of Achilles and his infamous heel, Aristos Achaion, best of the Greeks. A demigod hero who felled mighty Trojan Prince Hector in the war for Helen--the face who launched a thousand ships and the tale of a war sung down the centuries.

You might be less familiar with Patroclus. He was, by his time’s standards, a nobody. Son of a lesser king who was exiled from his home, fully human and a shadowy figure who barely appears in the pages of Homer...but whose love changed the course of Achilles’s life.

It is said that only the love of Patroclus, and grief for his death, could spur Achilles to meet his destiny.

But there’s the debate: what kind of love was it exactly?

It seems strange after the success of Miller’s novel in popular culture that this is up for debate...but it technically still is. Search “Patroclus” in scholarly articles and you’ll find him identified as Achilles’s...friend.

His buddy. His pal.

Fucking. Yikes.

Some may say my insistence that their love is queer comes from my belief that everything is better gay. (Which...okay, yes, and I’m right!) But I’m gonna push back and point to one word:

Philatos.

This is a Greek word that Miller applies in her novel. One that was used between men in the ancient world. It means: ‘Most Beloved.’

It’s a loaded word, particularly when we consider homosexuality in the classical world which was...complicated.

People like to believe that history is as simple as: ‘the ancients were chill about homosexuality, it was only with the rise of certain religions--side-eying Christianity--that it became criminal.’

To which I answer: um...not quite.

Let’s be clear: it’s totally true that the immortal philosopher Plato set forth models that classified different kinds of love. And that one of them, eros, was desire so strong that it was akin to a force of nature. Plato theorized that eros could be harnessed and leveraged as a way to strengthen the bonds between soldiers, giving them better motivation to fight and thus making them more effective.

For example, the Sacred Band of Thebes. You probably know them as the 300, but historians know them as 150 pairs of lovers! The best part? It worked! (At least for a while...but that’s another story.)

And how about Alexander the Great, who conquered most of his neighboring countries and amassed an empire of over two million miles? He had Hephaestion, his constant companion, of whom Alexander said: ‘He is me. I am him.’ So make of that what you will. (I’m gonna go with: gays get shit done!)

That sounds pretty straight-forward (so to speak), so what’s the problem?

Miller actually puts her finger on it in Song. As Patroclus tells us, “Our men like conquest; they did not trust a man who was conquered himself.” Let’s rephrase: being gay is chill...if you’re the top. If you’re not, then you’re the lowest of the low: Feminine. Weak. Disgraced.

I repeat: Fucking. Yikes.

So there were people then and now who would be perfectly ready to handwave away the bond between Achilles and Patroclus. They cry: why it gotta be gay? Why can’t the love of friends be enough? Why do you have to shove it down our throats?!

(I invite you to picture my eyes rolling all the way back.)

Let’s put this argument to bed: there’s nothing wrong with a love that is neither sexual nor romantic. (I see all my sibs under the aro-ace umbrella, y’all are valid!) The problem is when the existence of said love is weaponized to erase or deny other forms of queer love and make them lesser or shameful.

Because that’s what it comes down to: Honor. Reputation was everything to the ancients, and queerness put your reputation on thin ice. So much so that in Song, Patroclus even offers to hide their relationship so as not to endanger Achilles’s legacy: “Your honor could be darkened by it.” But Achilles won’t have it: “Then it is darkened. They are fools if they let my glory rise or fall on this.”

Miller saw this quiet, ever-present bond between Achilles and Patroclus in the pages of ancient texts. And she saw the unsung eros between them, the kind that drove the Sacred Band of Thebes to fight and Alexander to forge an empire. She saw how historians scoffed and dismissed it in a couple of lines to focus on the violent, tragic triumph of Achilles.

Rather than try and recast the great hero, she decided to tackle this relationship from another angle...she gave voice to Patroclus.

It’s a powerful choice to draw him from the shadows. Patroclus figures very little in the myth, and the one time he really does is when he’s disguising himself as someone else: he dies donning Achilles’s armor to rally the Greeks and rout the Trojans with the illusion that Aristos Achaion has returned to the field. One brave deed for an otherwise unremarkable life.

But was it?

Miller’s Patroclus is in many ways an everyman. He’s a mediocre swordsman, but a better healer. He’s the kind of guy who will remember your name and ask about your family, and make sure you have a comfortable place by the fire.

He’s perfectly content with his lot in life. All he really wants to do is tell you how much he loves his boyfriend.

It sounds like the stuff of ‘homeric fanfiction,’ as one boyfriend apparently scoffed at Miller’s work. (I hope she dumped him for it!) But it’s a pretty brave take for a spin on the myths. While Patroclus has respect for honor and glory, and would convince us that Achilles is the better man...that’s not the impression we are left with.

This isn’t a story of heroism by war. This is a story of the heroism of love.

Whether in a palace or on the battlefield, Patroclus’s life is defined by love. Of Achilles, of Briseis, of Chiron, of his homes, of his work, of his world.

This Patroclus says: Plato got it right. Love is what makes all of this--no matter how we live and die--a worthy endeavor.

And I think that’s what makes The Song of Achilles the philatos of queer lit. It both honors its roots, reading with prose that fits the poetic sensibilities of the Iliad, and challenges them.

Ancient people and modern historians have something in common: an ongoing struggle to genuinely accept queer people and queer love. The Song of Achilles is a necessary book. One that bridges past and present. One that speaks softly but clearly, uncompromising in its demand that we allow gay people to be seen and honored in cultural memory.

In the words of another spin on the myths: “It’s a love song / It’s an old song / We’re gonna sing it even so!”

#the song of achilles #tsoa #mlm #gay #madeline miller #lgbtqia #pride #lgbt reads #queer lit #patroclus

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aoiveaeart · 5 months

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Hello! I just wanted to say I adore your work! Your Catradora fanfics are so beautiful and passionate and your art just screams regal, elegance, and each line up perfectly with the world you've created.

I was curious on what advice/tips you had for beginner writers? Do you study other writers you like or write what feels right for you?

As well as what you do for drawing? What references, lessons, and or creators you take notes from? Or figure drawing?

Thank you for all you create! Genuinely, thank you <3

Hello! First than all, thank you so SO much for your beautiful words it means the absolute world for me and I appreciate it immensely

Now for your question, I think that as per writing my best advice would be ‘Never stop writing and write it all’ . Do you have an idea? Write it down! No matter if it is swift and quick or really small or if you write it on a notebook or the phone or a napkin. Most of my biggest stories like Anchor and Camelot AU came from a single insane idea and now they are full stories. I read a lot too for inspiration, from other´s people´s fics to series like Percy Jackson, Lord of the Rings, The Song of Achilles, Jane Austen, poetry, etc. I take a lot of inspiration from music too, movie´s soundtracks are the best for me to inspire the construction of a story.

For Drawing and paintings I use lots of references, especially pictures. I love reinassance paintings and take lots of inspiration from Alfons Mucha Art. I took some studies from Loish´s Patreon too that were of great help with character construction and painting, and I´m currently trying to study more concept art development of animated movies, it helps a lot too.

And also, and this goes for drawing and art in general too, please have patience. The Internet and the algorithm are a weird place to be in as an artist right now and most of the time a small ratio can result in a lot of frustation. Believe in yourself! And please do things that you love, even the process, it won´t be perfect at the beginning but you´ll get there.

Sorry for taking so long to answer and lots of love your way! <3

#ask

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smalltownfae · 8 months

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Hi! From the book rec ask game, if you want to answer any/all of these :)

16. a book you'd recommend to your younger self

41. a book about nature

55. a book with a satisfying ending

69. your favourite mythological retelling

70. your favourite poetry collection

117. your favourite anthology

Hello! Thank you for the asks :)

16. Depends on how young. I wish I had read certain old middle grade and YA books when I was a kid, but tbh most of them weren't translated or even sold here so that would be impossible to begin with. I am sad that I didn't have any Diana Wynne Jones books, for example. We did have translated Discworld books at some point though because I found some in my library (that is how I discovered the series), but I never saw them being sold around before. In my small city there weren't any bookshops when I was a kid so I got my books from supermarkets and I visited the library a lot (even if it only had really old books for the most part). That is how I ended up reading above my years and rereading fairy tales for the most part. Two shops that sold books popped up in my teens and they even sold some manga and a friend and I were so happy about it even though that kind of thing was a given in the capital hahah I visited the capital a lot in my teenage years too because I made most of my friends there. I have a kind of hate relationship with my hometown for all the things it didn't provide and things would have been so different had I grown up somewhere else. One of those things were the lack of books available which I still believe contributed a bit to everyone being so close minded around here. My first visit to the city trully blew my mind xD I was like sheep in the big city. Sorry for the personal anedocte, but the truth is I didn't even had the option to read the books that would have interested me as a kid and I am reading them now as an adult.

41. Upstream by Mary Oliver (which I am still reading...). Also a lot of Robert Frost poems.

“One tree is like another tree, but not too much. One tulip is like the next tulip, but not altogether. More or less like people—a general outline, then the stunning individual strokes.”

55. Howl's Moving Castle hahahaha it has a very nice happy ending, but I think I give this book as an answer way too much so I will try thinking of another one. I know satisfying doesn't necessarily mean happy but I always assume that is what that word means. The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison has a pretty nice ending too.

69. I haven't read many of those at all so I will have to go with the cliché answer The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller, which is the only book out of the 3 I read by her that I liked. I am not as interested in myth retellings as I am in reading the originals to be honest, but I am curious about The Silence of the Girls, which I only heard good things about so far.

70. I am only exploring poetry more this year so my options are limited. I am going through the complete poems by Robert Frorst and that book separates the smaller collections published before so I guess right now I would pick New Hampshire by Robert Frost, which has the most poems I like, including my favourite "Stopping by woods on a snowy evening". Collections are hard because I very seldom enjoy all the works included in the book and never at the same level when I do like all of them.

117. I do not read these either. I can only recall one anthology that I read from start to finish and that was The New Voices of Fantasy so I guess I have to say that even if it was just ok. Oh wait, this is a lie. I love "Histórias de Fantasmas" (Ghost Stories), but that is a portuguese one that has a selection of "ghost stories". I can tell which ones were included in it though. It's one of my favourite books and I did enjoy every story in it. Here's the list:

The Open Window by Saki

Afterward by Edith Wharton

The Ghost by Catherine Wells

Mr. Tallent's Ghost by Mary Webb

The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman

Nr. 17 by E. Nesbit

The Voice of a God by Winifred Holtby

A Spirit Elopment by Clotilde Graves

#andy answers #book asks #too many books to tag

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sweetk1lls · 2 years

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* ON IDENTITY EVOLUTION AS EXPLORED IN THE GODLY TRILOGY

PART 1 : THE SELF ( I AM ALL AND MORE . )

Undertale / Everything Everywhere All At Once / Legion S1E8 : Chapter 8 / Mr. Robot S1E7 : Wh1ter0se.m4v / Gene Tierney with Portrait Masks, Horst P. Horst / Who Killed Markiplier / God Exits, Morningstar E. / Enfold, Henrik Uldalen / “Song of Myself”, Leaves of Grass, Walt Whitman / The Song of Achilles, Madeline Miller / The Book of Disquiet, Fernando Pessoa

PART 2 : THE BELIEVING ( I WANT TO BELIEVE . )

Heartfelt ( Promo package ) / Dissolving Into Nothing, RF Pangborn / Bi-Weekly, Claudia Keep / Self-Isolation, Irina An / Memento Mori, Crywank / Clarice Lispector / Upstream, Mary Oliver / The Waves, Virginia Woolf / Sue Zhao

PART 3 : THE UNSELF ( . . . )

Succession S3E7 : Too Much Birthday / Grzegorz Gwiazda / Jungho Lee / Who Killed Markiplier / Before, After, Briezdoodlez / Falling, Harry Styles / The Hour of the Star, Clarice Lispector / The Vault, Andrés Cerpa / Juliet ( I ), Sarah Certa / Counterpoint, Mahmoud Darwish / The Picture of Dorian Gray, Oscar Wilde

PART 4 : THE BECOMING ( I WANT TO JUST BE . )

Moon Knight S1E2 : Summon the Suit / Night in the Woods / Mid Air, Kirsten Sims / Feminine Stereotypes, Romina Bassu / Solitude, Llenia Tesoro / It Began Right Here, Danez Smith / Deerskin, Robin McKinley / Backwards, Warsan Shire / Cortège, Carl Phillips / Saying Your Names, Richard Siken

PART 5 : THE RESELF ( I AM ONLY I AND I LOVE I . )

Detective Kid / Legion S3E2 : Chapter 21 / Black Mirror: Bandersnatch / Midnight Mass S1E7 : Book VII: Revelation / Blooming, unknown / Who Killed Markiplier / Healing Series 31.08.2019, unspokengrief on tumblr / hannahlockillustration / Undertale / Cassandra: A Novel and Four Essays, Christa Wolf / Grandmother in the Garden, Louise Glück / Original Air-Blue Gown, The Mountain Goats / “Here I Am”, Songs from Under the River: A Collection of Poetry, Anis Mojgani / What the Living Do, Marie Howe

* ABOUT : This mega web weaving edit tells a short story about how any main character of the Godly Trilogy is a part of everything, everyone, everywhere. They are made of memories and dreams and visions. They are them, they are you, they are me. When this character is all and more to the Universe, though, who are they to themselves? They are all but truly what, exactly? No one and nothing knows who and what they are, not even the characters themselves. Upon this horrifying realization, there comes a fall, a going, a fading, gone. Who are they? What are they? I am? Am I? I don’t know. I don’t understand. I do not and I can not, and that is more than okay. There is still time and space for anyone to learn about themselves and love every single pieces that are part of them, and regardless of anything, they will know and remember this that they will always be more than good enough. Take a deep breath, child soul, lover of the sky and sea, bringer of light and darkness. You are you, and you are enough. I love you, always and always and always.

#*#[ made this several months ago as a special anniversary that has to do with the Godly Trilogy and I wish to share it on here too ]#[ identity is such an extremely important concept to me as it's heavily explored in the Godly Trilogy ]#[ as someone who still doesn't really know who they are ]#[ I hope this trilogy will help me find myself who is living better than I am now <3 ]

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shiroandblack · 3 months

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Hey guys, I'm alive! I mean, guess that's what happens when you move to a new city and wallow in loneliness

I just finished reading 'The Song of Achilles' and while I'm not a Greek myth nerd, I definitely enjoy them. It was a good book for me and I enjoyed it. But I think because everyone was raving about it and everyone was saying how wonderful and poetic it is, it fell a bit short for me.

Disclaimer: this is all of course, my purely subjective opinion.

I've seen a lot of people praise Madeline Miller's prose, and for her debut novel I thought it was good. However, I'm not really getting the flowery-ness to it that people seem to say it has, as to me it felt quite direct. I don't know if this is because I've read things like the Silmarillion or epic poetry, but I was personally quite disappointed in this aspect because from the reviews I was expecting AO3 "sorry, English isn't my first language" kind of language.

However, I will say that the 'What has Hector ever done to me?' repetition was magnificently done. Miller spaced it out very well, there was no point in the book which I felt like this question was over-repeated. Going into this book and knowing the main storyline of the Iliad, I knew Patroclus was going to die. But honestly, having Achilles ask this question repeatedly just built up the suspense for it.

Listen, I vibe with Patroclus, he was just there. He's an ordinary person surrounded by extraordinary people. But despite the fact that this is narrated in 1st person and it is in his point of view, I wasn't getting the depth of his feelings for Achilles. Honestly, to me it felt like Achilles loved him a lot more than he loved Achilles. And I think one of the things that frustrated me was that Patroclus never really stood up to Achilles until shit really hit the fan even when Patroclus himself believed that what Achilles was doing was fucked up.

Despite my views on Patroclus, I liked how Achilles was portrayed. I enjoyed that his arrogance wasn't an 'in your face' kind of arrogant, but it's in his condescending behaviour towards people he doesn't really care about. Also, it's very obvious that he doesn't think of himself as 'mediocre' I mean yes, he is a demigod. But what's so interesting about Achilles is that he's not a son of Zeus or Poseidon, he's the son of Thetis who while a goddess, is not a god among gods as the Olympians or Hades would be. Yet he is a lot better than heroes who claim greater descent. It definitely has to do with the fact that there's a prophecy that Thetis' son would be greater than his father, which is why Zeus encouraged the match between her and Peleus in the first place cause he didn't want to get Kronos-ed.

Moving on to Thetis,

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sciolists-libellum · 3 months

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Haleth || 22 || tries to handle the tech side of things but Asra is better at it. I do the organising and handling of the admin.

BA || LLB || Undergrad. Send help

If you wanna partake in the shenanigans you can find me @rangerofthesouth

Areas of Interest:

- Right now, a severe obsession with Greek Mythology because of the PJO series and I'm also reading the Iliad after reading Song of Achilles (no, i cannot under any circumstances be normal about him and Patroclus.)

- Classic literature and poetry : I wanna read as many classics as I can because why not and also school didn't allow me to read so I'm making up for lost time. (I'm still trying to finish Pride and Prejudice, but my adhd keeps saying noooo)

- Film : I watch a lot of films, movies and series, sometimes I watch mainstream stuff. Not just to space out, but because i enjoy complex storylines and excellent directing.

(currently watching Gossip Girl and... I have my reservations but..it's actually pretty interesting). I'm a fan of period dramas, fantasy and anything that has to do with magic, sci-fi and psychological thrillers.

- The Old Guard and books by Neil Gaiman : recently graphic novels have become something I'm completely obsessed with... I can't explain how much i love graphic novels and comics right now!!!! Just *high pitched scream*

- Also non-western literature:

I'm a firm believer in knowing where you came from in order to know where you're going.

gimme poetry about the indentured Indians, gimme stories about the poc who have had to fight to be seen, gimme gimme oral tales from ethic tribes, let me see the diaspora of your people around the globe

i wanna hear about everyone's history. Where you came from, why they chose to step onto the ship, whether they had a choice. Tell me about your aunty's recipe for a certain dish, i bet you there's a story behind it.

- I'm really into fashion rn after spending my entire adolescence wearing the same tshirt and jeans. will i be normal about it? Absolutely not.

- queer theory and history and law even if i don't wanna admit that out loud. But wow, is the law actually interesting...

What else am i interested in??

- Food. Especially Asian foods and the absolute wonderful variety every culture has to offer. So far I've had a good intro to Korean foods such as gimpap and baobuns, I've tried Chinese oudon noodles which i would happily die for oh and i tried ramen too.. But i needa know more so please gimmmmme gimme your favourite Asian dishes, especially if they're spicy.

- Music : i play the guitar and piano and cannot be normal about jazz, blues or classics. Yes, Asra is right, Pop music is my area of expertise until you ask me about relevant songs. ( BUT classical music is Asra's area of utter and complete expertise. Seriously any questions on classical music and composition send it to Asra)

-Art: i freaking love art ( Van Gogh my love, Fauvism my detested, animation because of Abu (a friend not the monkey from Aladdin.) my painting skills are something to be worked on but i can draw!

- I'm very normal about Cate Blanchett in any of her films.

- i enjoy reading and listening to explanations on different beliefs, cultures and psychology, i really like understanding how the world works.

-physics even though I failed math and never did physics but wooow do i love applying it to Formula One.

- Oh yeah, formula one 🏎️

- i love animals, i will befriend your pets.

-Travel : honestly i wanna see every inch of the world and eat alllll kinds of foods and leave a footprint in a German forest. The ocean beckons, the sky will carry me gently, the mountains sing for me to join them.

My areas of Interest will change as i grow and my brain decides what my next hyperfixation will be. There's a good chance imma inflict it upon everyone here😗

beautiful paragraph dividers are the works of @saradika

#about the mods #haleth.txt #about haleth

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hatsunerandal · 1 year

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part eight of my playlist analysis!!

part 1 <;- part 2 <- part 3 <- part 4 <- part 5 <- part 6 <- part 7 <- SOUPPP

be nice to me - the front bottoms 'i try to write you poems, but the words they dont make sense' TELL ME LOCKWOOD DIDNT TRY TO WRITE LUCY POETRY BC HE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE ROMANTIC THEN THREW IT OUT BC HE THOUGH IT WAS BAD. TRY TO TELL ME. TRY I DARE YOU. (it was actually really really good hes just incredibly hard on himself.)

absolutely smitten - dodie hehehehehe fluffy fluff softest fluff toothrotting fluff ow ow ow

my body's made of crushed little stars - mitski you cannot tell me this isnt on lucys breakdown playlist.

i hear a symphony - cody fry lockwood sings it to lucy methinks.

i was an island - john-allison weiss GRRRRRRRRG IK YOU THINK IM GONNA SAY ITS LOCKWOOD BUT ABSOLUTELY YOU ARE RIGHT HAHAHAH. 'but i lowered my sword when you held me and swore youd stay, stay, stay' LOCKWOOD. kill the director - the wombats this playlist is so lockwood-centric can you tell. hes never really felt anything like what hes felt for lucy before and hes just ??????>@!? and confused and is probably ranting to george about it or something and george is just laughing eating crackers or smth like "haha stupid loverboy." ykwim? - yot club lucy, laying awake in her attic room, wondering how the hell she got here and why shes staying. shes ruined the dynamic they had, hasnt she? shes the only girl in the house she does everything differently. she should leave. (she should Not). arsonists lullaby - hozier surprisingly, this is a lucy song!! its what she felt like having such a strong talent in such a small town and feeling like itd get to her one day. a burning hill - mitski another lucy breakdown song. she likes mitski. its kinda funny tho cuz yk. lockwood and his white button-downs. wet cigarettes - strawberry milk cult lockwood and lucy are avoiding eachother yet again, because theyre. them. but they keep passing eachother in the kitchen and other places in the house, stealing glances and all that. this song just has that vibe. sober haha jk unless - hospital bracelet l. lockwood song :(. affection - scruffpuppie feels like a lucy song and i cant explain why it just does. april to death - flower face god i literally cannot explain it for them specifically but this song goes in every character playlist i make. im so emotionally attached to it. breezeblocks - alt-j ok ik this is. a little bit of a weird one. but i dont care!! i love it!!! i live for slightly insane lockwood and you will too /threat (/j) bug bear - chloe moriondo despite lucy being so powerful talent wise, she never did great in school. stolen dance - milky chance DO I EVEN HAVE TO EXPLAAAAAAAAAIN its so soft dancing at night vibes dude. i love it sm. theyre just swaying together in the kitchen. alternatively, case montage of them by eachothers side pick your poison. black sheep - the evil exes (there are a million versions of this song gimme a break) just. mmm luce vibes dont ask why i will not be able to answer. can you feel my heart - bring me the horizon yall remember that one edit from 2020 where average looking anime boy #44658 jumped out a building? lockwood wants that. (its ok me too lockwood) (no but fr this is another weird emotional attachment song but it could probably work for some sort of lockwood breakdown. wait actually it could cuz 'im scared to get close/i hate being alone' ok i understand now thank you brain.) daddy issues - the neighborhood I believe ive briefly discussed my lockwood with daddy issues hc. do i rememebr his canon relationship with his dad? no!! am i projecting?? yes!! i cant handle change - roar self explanatory. hes not good at change, shes not good at change, they both suck at it but theyre working through it together. ill sleep when im dead - set it off lockwood insomniac agenda (its not even an agenda its canon atp) achilles come down - gang of youths you guys dont want me to go in depth with this one. strawberry mentos - leanna firestone hehehdfbjngbfdg fluffy fluffy fluff fluffle so fluffy so sweet so cute so owie i love them. fool - cavetown eepy reading vibes in the library mixed with a teeeeny tiny bit of crying on lucys part. why shes crying is up for interpretation. beorge gush - strawberry milk cult this ones for the l&co ot3 mfs. its all of them. odnt ask why it just is. them vibes christ we're so close to being done PART 9 HERE WE GOO

#lockwood and co #locklyle #george karim #lucy carlyle #anthony lockwood

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o-willow · 2 years

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Book list

Just finished reading: All We Can Save ***** which started out fairly repetitive but gained traction later with increased specificity and practical ideas Come Closer by Sara Gran ** which wasn´t great but it was a quick read and had some good information, if you believe in this sort of stuff Currently reading:

The Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo (40% done) The Precipice by Toby Ord (10% done) Les fleurs du mal by Charles Baudelaire (30% done) The Diary of Anaïs Nin vol. 1. (1931 - 1934) (30% done) Veinte poemas de amor y una canción desesperada by Pablo Neruda (20% done) The Occult Sciences by Arthur Edward Waite (30% done)

In queue (on hold or scheduled for immediate reading):

La casa de los espiritus by Isabel Allende The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón Dark Matter by Blake Crouch New on my TBR list: Breathturn into Timestead: The Collected Poetry by Paul Celan The Collected Works by Edna St. Vincent Millay Chicago Poems by Carl Sandburg Back to the library, unfinished: The Elementary Particles by Michel Houellebecq The Sound of Waves by Yukio Mishima Most notable books I´ve read in 2022 so far: On Earth We´re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong - beautiful, expertly woven How High We Go in the Dark by Sequoia Nagamatsu - not a masterpiece but helped partially restore my love of humanity A Season in Hell, The Drunken Boat, and Illuminations by Arthur Rimbaud - a gd masterpiece of poetry The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller - lovely, some beautiful narration attesting to the beauty of connection

#bookblr #books #litblr

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skylessnights · 3 years

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If you’re looking for buddie fics that are written like beautiful poetry. Where the words are so romantic it pulls at your heartstrings, look no further:

where sunlight and serenity meet

a two inch difference

I recently discovered @lemonzestywrites fics and I’m just in love! After reading The Song of Achilles, I’ve always wanted to find fics that portray love in a poetic style but I never really found any on Ao3. That was until now. After reading these two fics, I found myself grinning and just falling in love with the words written on the page. I was rendered speechless and wanting more. So please do yourselves a favour and read these fics, it’s just art 🥺💕

(Be right back, going to read them again and cry and then smile because it’s so beautiful)

#if you love the song of Achilles or poetry I believe you will love these fics!#buddie #buck x eddie #evan buckley #Eddie diaz #911 on fox #buddie fics #911 on fox fic #thank you for coming to my ted talk 🥺✨

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antigoddex-a · 2 years

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* [ REDACTED ] ON IDENTITY EVOLUTION //

PART 1 : THE SELF ( I AM ALL AND MORE . )

Undertale / Everything Everywhere All At Once / Legion S1E8 : Chapter 8 / Mr. Robot S1E7 : Wh1ter0se.m4v / Gene Tierney with Portrait Masks, Horst P. Horst / Who Killed Markiplier / God Exits, Morningstar E. / Enfold, Henrik Uldalen / “Song of Myself”, Leaves of Grass, Walt Whitman / The Song of Achilles, Madeline Miller / The Book of Disquiet, Fernando Pessoa

PART 2 : THE BELIEVING ( I WANT TO BELIEVE . )

Heartfelt ( Promo package ) / Dissolving Into Nothing, RF Pangborn / Bi-Weekly, Claudia Keep / Self-Isolation, Irina An / Memento Mori, Crywank / Clarice Lispector / Upstream, Mary Oliver / The Waves, Virginia Woolf / Sue Zhao

PART 3 : THE UNSELF ( . . . )

Succession S3E7 : Too Much Birthday / Grzegorz Gwiazda / Jungho Lee / Who Killed Markiplier / Before, After, Briezdoodlez / Falling, Harry Styles / The Hour of the Star, Clarice Lispector / The Vault, Andrés Cerpa / Juliet ( I ), Sarah Certa / Counterpoint, Mahmoud Darwish / The Picture of Dorian Gray, Oscar Wilde

PART 4 : THE BECOMING ( I WANT TO JUST BE . )

Moon Knight S1E2 : Summon the Suit / Night in the Woods / Mid Air, Kirsten Sims / Feminine Stereotypes, Romina Bassu / Solitude, Llenia Tesoro / It Began Right Here, Danez Smith / Deerskin, Robin McKinley / Backwards, Warsan Shire / Cortège, Carl Phillips / Saying Your Names, Richard Siken

PART 5 : THE RESELF ( I AM ONLY I AND I LOVE I . )

Detective Kid / Legion S3E2 : Chapter 21 / Black Mirror: Bandersnatch / Midnight Mass S1E7 : Book VII: Revelation / Blooming, unknown / Who Killed Markiplier / Healing Series 31.08.2019, unspokengrief on tumblr / hannahlockillustration / Undertale / Cassandra: A Novel and Four Essays, Christa Wolf / Grandmother in the Garden, Louise Glück / Original Air-Blue Gown, The Mountain Goats / “Here I Am”, Songs from Under the River: A Collection of Poetry, Anis Mojgani / What the Living Do, Marie Howe

* ABOUT : This mega web weaving edit tells a short story about an all-encompassing and multidimensional being known as [ REDACTED ] who is part of everything, everyone, everywhere. They are made of memories and dreams and visions. They are them, they are you, they are me. When [ REDACTED ] is all and more to the universe, though, who are they to themselves? They are all but truly what, exactly? No one and nothing knows who and what they are, not even [ REDACTED ] themselves. Upon this horrifying realization, there comes a fall, a going, a fading, gone. Who are they? What are they? I am? Am I? I don’t know. I don’t understand. I do not and I can not, and that is more than okay. There is still time and space for [ REDACTED ] to learn about themselves and love every single one of their counterparts, and regardless of anything, they will know and remember this that they will always be more than good enough. Take a deep breath, child soul, lover of the sky and sea, bringer of light and darkness. You are you, and you are enough. I love you, always and always and always.

* SELF REFLECTION ( cw: child abuse, derealization / depersonalization, quick mentions of suicidal thoughts and self harm ) : When [ REDACTED ] came into existence, I thought about wanting to have a character who is known to be part of everything and everywhere from everywhere, sort of like God, but not at the same time. Glitchcore, weirdcore, and kidcore are the biggest elements that I hold a high interest and joy in, so these aesthetic elements would be implemented into [ REDACTED ] along with a heavy emphasize on the concept of art and storytelling, as explored through the multiverse that they are part of and having connection with fate itself. They are a character who represents the idea of identity along with life / birth, death, and rebirth. How one is born, how one comes to be throughout life with how they feel, think, move, etcetera; how one gets affected and affect others, and how does one die ( and what happens to them if they return to life either through reincarnation or with revival ).

I really do mean it when I say along the line about how [ REDACTED ] means more than everything to me. They are the one and only original character who I can truly carry for so long when every other characters of mine would be discarded out of disinterest, and they have come to be my biggest comfort and coping character. Getting more personal in this reflection, I have always been living in a life and under a skin that does not belong to me, I still am and I will probably be like this in over five to maybe even ten years, who knows. I have been through so much in my life with the abuse I had and still am going through, the manipulation and pain from seven out of eight people I had dated and from many friends online and in real life, the constantly uncertain and dissatisfaction in myself and my life while I would feel always off of me and my life, most of these terrible things I would face all alone because I did not know how to ask for help or feel comfortable asking. I recently realize that [ REDACTED ] would go through something just as painful as I had just so I can have that reminder that I am not alone at all.

The things that I did not find myself in [ REDACTED ] until later on as they exist in my life longer: They do not have the full control in their life and themselves just like me, and while because of my traumas, I have become emotionally detached to defend myself from getting hurt by the people around me and protect myself from constantly having deep negative / suicidal thoughts, [ REDACTED ] are generally more emotional because that is what I wish to be one day, somehow. Another thing I have realized also that my memories are just as fragmented and faint as [ REDACTED ]. I am losing everything behind and about me so fast and even then, I can not remember about anything that happened this week, let alone yesterday. My grasp on time and space is so loosen and it does hurt to see how many pieces, not [ REDACTED ] hold of me or vice versa, but we hold of each other. I realized this now that it was never just [ REDACTED ] ( you ) or just me ( I ). It has always been you and I and us. They have helped me so much in becoming more aware with myself and trying to love myself, and even though they are my character, I sometimes feel like they are their own individual and I want to thank them for playing an important role in my life, They really do mean so much more than anyone can ever describe.

This web weaving edit with [ REDACTED ] is meant to be a special project as to celebrate my first year of having them on April first, 2021, a significant reminder for myself that no matter what had and is happening and will, I am always me, Morningstar, and that will always be more than good enough. If [ REDACTED ] can get themselves a happy ending despite everything, so can I. So will I.

#long post cw #[ <3 <3 <3 ]#[ there is. A lot under cut with a detail about the edit and a personal ( heavy ) reflection so just a fair warning ]#[ but I am extremely proud and in endless love with this mini special project as to ( lately ) celebrate the one year creation of having ? ]#[ and I hope y'all will love this too ]#[ thank you to everyone so much once more for always being there for me and ? ; thank you ]#✧ ೃ༄*ੈ✩ 57UDY .•ˎˊ˗˖°࿐#✧ ೃ༄*ੈ✩ M1N3 .•ˎˊ˗˖°࿐

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lunar-libran · 3 years

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literary quotes for venus signs

venus in aries: “But I don't want comfort. I want God, I want poetry, I want real danger, I want freedom, I want goodness. I want sin.” Brave New World, Aldous Huxley

venus in taurus: “You're always you, and that don't change, and you're always changing, and there's nothing you can do about it.” The Graveyard Book, Neil Gaiman

venus in gemini: “Some things exist in our lives for but a brief moment. And we must let them go on to light another sky.” The Wrath and the Dawn, Renee Adieh

venus in cancer: “But in a solitary life, there are rare moments when another soul dips near yours, as stars once a year brush the earth. Such a constellation was he to me.” Circe, Madeline Miller

venus in leo: “But when I see the way that mankind loves... You could search to the furthest reaches of the universe and never find anything more beautiful.” Stardust, Neil Gaiman

venus in virgo: “I am tired of trying to hold things together that cannot be held. Trying to control what cannot be controlled. I am tired of denying myself what I want for fear of breaking things I cannot fix. They will break no matter what we do.” The Night Circus, Erin Morgenstern

venus in libra: “When we think of the past it's the beautiful things we pick out. We want to believe it was all like that.” The Handmaid’s Tale, Margaret Atwood

venus in scorpio: “In the darkness, two shadows, reaching through the hopeless, heavy dusk. Their hands meet, and light spills in a flood like a hundred golden urns pouring out of the sun.” Song of Achilles, Madeline Miller

venus in sagittarius: “Why me?

- That is a very Earthling question to ask, Mr. Pilgrim. Why you? Why us for that matter? Why anything? Because this moment simply is. Have you ever seen bugs trapped in amber?

- Yes.

- Well, here we are, Mr. Pilgrim, trapped in the amber of this moment. There is no why.” Slaughterhouse-Five, Kurt Vonnegut

venus in capricorn: “The love that follows us sometimes is our trouble, which still we thank as love.” Macbeth, William Shakespeare

venus in aquarius: “Bearing that in mind, the question which remains to us is this: what is humanity? What do we have to do to keep humanity as one thing and not another?” Human Acts, Han Kang

venus in pisces: “It is love; love, the comfort of the human species, the preserver of the universe, the soul of all sentient beings, love, tender love.” Candide, Voltaire

#astrology #literature for the signs #yes I’ve read all these

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derangedrhythms · 3 years

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hi <3 i was wondering if you have any quotes about lying? thank you so much

"If you entreat me with your loveliest lie / I will protest you with my favourite vow."

— Edna St. Vincent Millay, A Few Figs from Thistles; from 'xi'

"…the one thing that must never come between two people who have offered each other love is a lie."

— John Fowles, from ‘The Magus’

"...never lie about emotions and make false promises."

— Martha Gellhorn, from 'Selected Letters of Martha Gellhorn'; to Hortense Flexner, 1962

"A lie may fool someone else, but it tells you the truth: you’re weak."

— Tom Wolfe, from 'The Bonfire of the Vanities'

"Tell me, black heart, twelve white lies."

— Maxine Kumin, from ‘Tell Me, Black Heart’, published in ‘It’s Not You, It’s Me: The Poetry of Breakup’ ed. Jerry Williams

“From this moment I will never know / ease,” you said, “since you have lied to me, / nor joy.”

— Louise Glück, The Triumph of Achilles; from ‘From the Japanese’

"I am the most destructive person alive because I / can’t bear the lies in your heart."

— Alice Notley, Songs and Stories of the Ghouls; from 'The Book of Dead'

"I honor those who try / to rid themselves of lying,"

— Rumi, Rumi: The Book of Love: Poems of Ecstasy and Longing; from ‘Clear Being’, tr. Coleman Barks

"Above all, don't lie to yourself. The man who lies to himself and listens to his own lie comes to a pass that he cannot distinguish the truth within him, or around him, and so loses all respect for himself and for others."

— Fyodor Dostoevsky, from 'The Brother's Karamazov', tr. Constance Garnett

"I am stuffing your mouth with your / promises and watching / you vomit them out upon my face."

— Anne Sexton, 45 Mercy Street from 'Killing the Love'

"By the time you swear you’re his, / Shivering and sighing, / And he vows his passion is / Infinite, undying – / Lady, make a note of this: / One of you is lying."

— Dorothy Parker, Enough Rope; “Unfortunate Coincidence”

"Can a lie be taken as communication? I tend to deny it. A lie is the opposite of communication. It means specifically to withhold the other's share and portion of reality, to prevent his participation in reality."

— Josef Pieper, Abuse of Language Abuse of Power, tr. Lother Krauth

"To betray with a kiss. The reek of Judas. I took the brush to clean my teeth and thought of his mouth. Kiss of life, kiss of death. Come kiss me so that I can read your lips, deceptions scripted and waiting to be staged. His lying heart is in his mouth. When I kissed him this morning I tasted his fear."

— Jeanette Winterson, from 'Gut Symmetries'

"Truth, you are a good mistress to your faithful servants! While a Lie pressed me, how I suffered! Even when the Falsehood was still sweet, still flattering to the fancy, and warm to the feelings, it wasted me with hourly torment."

— Charlotte Brontë, from 'Villette'

"But I believe in uttering the truth, even if it hurts. Particularly if it hurts."

— Joyce Carol Oates, from ‘We Were the Mulvaneys’

"There's more beauty in the truth even if it is dreadful beauty."

— John Steinbeck, from 'East of Eden'

#compilations #🖤#lying

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oh-no-its-elle · 2 years

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Hiii! I’m trying to change up what I read, otherwise I only go for the classics. Can you please share your reading list if it’s okay?? 🤓

Hello!!!!! Wow wish that were me with reading classics 😂 I find them so intimidating!

But yes oh my gosh, I'm happy to share!!!! I didn't read a ton this year but I'm proud of reading more outside my genre comfort zones, so hopefully you can find something you're into!!

I'll start with my favorite book this year: Ring Shout by P Djeli Clark. It's about a group of black women who are gifted with the ability to see and fight demons, and they begin to notice them infiltrating the KKK which means 🗡🗡🗡 IT IS SO GOOD. It's classified as horror, I believe, but as a wimp myself, I didn't find it scary (aside from the real world scariness). It's also very short, and I'm always here for a short king. But somehow the author packs so much emotion into it, it made me laugh and cry and want to swordfight a racist.

Other books I've liked!

Daisy Jones and The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid: this book!!!!! It became my whole personality for a week after I finished it lol. It's about a rock band in the 70s, their rise and fall from grace, and it's told in interview format. High recommend listening to the audiobook along with it if you can! (A lot of people love this author's other books but I haven't read them yet.)

Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse: A really cool fantasy that is inspired by pre-Columbian cultures, which is something I've never read before. (I truly have no clue how to give a summary of this book lmao, but it's fun, it's dark, there's a bisexual lady pirate and a nonbinary assassin priest, we stan.)

In My Dreams I Hold a Knife by Ashley Winstead: I had such a blast reading this!!!! It's a thriller about a group of college friends. While they were still in school, someone in the group was killed and another was implicated as the murderer. Now they're returning for their college reunion and the melodrama...... the melodrama! The ending left me very unsettled but in a good way??

(This got long so I'm putting the rest under the cut skdjskd)

Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall: definitely my favorite romance I read this year! It's about this semi-disgraced son of a rockstar who has to fake date an upstanding citizen to improve his reputation. It's gay, it's hilarious, it's tender!!!! And it's getting a sequel called Husband Material next year 👀

Firekeeper's Daughter by Angeline Boulley: this is categorized as YA but the characters are a little older. It's about a girl who is half white, half Ojibwe and how she navigates both identities. She gets involved with a drug investigation in her community and it does veer a bit into the thriller category then. I really loved the parts about Ojibwe folklore and practices!

Circe by Madeline Miller: you might actually love this if you're into classics! The writing is beyond beautiful and I love any kind of mythology, so reading about Circe was super fun. Her other book, The Song of Achilles is waaaay popular, so you might be interested in that one too!

I'm just going to list some others now because this will be so long if I keep talking about them skdjskd, but these are some I read and enjoyed and others are ones I'm excited to read!

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman

Legendborn by Tracy Deonn

The City of Brass by SA Chakraborty

The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune (tender!!!!!!!!!!)

The Heartstopper series (graphic novels) by Alice Oseman

The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater (I know I said I was gonna stop talking about them but this series is top tier!!!!)

Don't Call Us Dead by Danez Smith (poetry collection)

The Bridge Kingdom by Danielle L Jensen

The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi

The Secret History by Donna Tarte

Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata

The Folk of the Air series by Holly Black (first book is The Cruel Prince) (a very controversial pick dksjdks some people love it, some people hate it! I thought it was so much fun. The last book kind of sucks tbh, but the first two make up for it imo. I love a schemer and the mc is just so sneaky.....)

The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Beck Chambers

The Inheritance of Orquidea Divina by Zoraida Cordova

One Day in December by Josie Silver

Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo (I know I know 😂 But they're good!!!)

Okay I'm stopping now!!!!! 😅 But I can go on! So if there's a certain genre or age group you're especially interested in, definitely let me know and maybe I can suggest more!

I hope at least one of these sparks your interest!!! xx 💖💖💖

#if you need any trigger warnings for some of these let me know that as well!#some touch on some pretty dark topics #but i hope this helped a little bit!!!!! thank you for asking!!!!!!!

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fernlessbastard · 2 years

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1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23 for the ask game :)

-🪶

Here’s the ask game post

1.

quackbur.

(lmao i guess there's also that one xdnf oneshot-- i might rework it and post it some day, actually, idk, I won’t push it onto you guys)(also yes technically there’s more quackbur wips than losing face--)

3. Most of all, I'd say the things you can do with language. I love playing with it, painting pictures with different words and phrases - surprisingly, the chance to show someone else my ideas is actually secondary. Again, for me, it's all about the things you can do with language

5. Emersion. I hate it when a story is technically good, but the way it's written makes you simply a listener, someone completely outside of the story. I think it's important to make the reader feel like they're actually living through it themselves in some kind of way. (also really quickly, I honestly hate the way people use things such as “the taller male”, I just, ughh, use “him”, or “the other”, or just person’s name??? this isn’t meant to discourage anyone!!! just, idk, perhaps try out using something a bit different. In the end, art is subjective)

7. That's a hard question, honestly. If i had to cose a couple, definitely "The Song of Achilles", as well as "Good Omens". Additionally, not books per se, but certainly Oscar Wilde's works, as well as Sappho's poetry.

9. Ahh, another hard question. I honestly don’t now. I definitely want to work on my usage of language, and make it a lot more flowery. Idk

11. I’ll go with Losing Face, I suppose, and I’ll give you lot more, because brainrot: “Masochism Tango”(like, really), “When somebody needs you”, “This is love”(air traffic control - might make a post on this one, because fucking hell, it fits quackbur so well), “I found”. Now, cry, as you await the copious amount of angst I have planned.

13. UGHHHHHHHHHHHHHH dude tf do I say here???? Well, what I always try to do, is be actually a bit vague, and focus more on making the reader relate in some way to the feelings and emotions of the characters, so that they themselves can imagine the specifics, instead of me jumping in, breaking the emersion, just to explain what’s happening? i really don’t know

15. I have like 3 major ways i write

I start writing, write out the whole chapter, and then go over it, changing shit completely (if i take longer breaks in between, I’ll edit the already existing parts, before I start adding more)

When I struggle, I write own a challenging part, read it over, take a break, and then open a whole new document, and blindly rewrite it. (having it all down and and somewhat sorted out makes it a lot easier to focus on the writing itself) (I actually did that like 3 times with chapter 3 of losing face)

sometimes I get ideas, and I’ll write out vague plans (ranging from like 1 sentence, to like 600 words), and later I just expand on them.

in general, for Losing Face (my first actal project that’s being realised) I have at least a vague idea written down for chapers in advance, so that’s point 3 i guess

17. I’ll be honest, I have no idea what that’s supposed to mean - I just kinda write--

19. As I said, Losing Face is the first project I’m actually going through with, and so far I have at least an idea written down for what the chapter’s theme is well in advance

21. Probably giving them believable reactions to shit and all, as well as having them stay in character. Also making sure they aren’t one-dimensional

23. Probably music - I have a special playlist for writing. But also taking inspiration from real life, to a degree, and obviously, watching streams and all

Sorry that took quite a bit to answer, but I hoped to give a good reply

#tntduo #dsmp #tnt duo #quackbur #quackity #wilbur soot #dream smp #tntblr #fern writing #writing #my writing #ask #asks #ask fern #fernless #fernless rants #writing tips #🪶 anon #🪶

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pseudomenudo · 3 years

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I have decided to create a challenge for Pride Month.

Let’s all reflect on the things that have shaped and affected us as LGBTQ+ individuals. I challenge you to answer this question: What’s an LGBTQ+ (theme/symbolism/mentions of LGBTQ+ anything!) song, movie, piece of art, book, poem, quote, ANYTHING, that you like? Why do you like it? Feel free to share it all in your response to this post! Even YouTube vids, spotify links, whatever! Anything that shows us your fave stuff regarding LGBTQ+. I’ll go first.

POETRY:

A poem by my favorite poet Walt Whitman: “Though biographers continue to debate Whitman's sexuality, he is usually described as either homosexual or bisexual in his feelings and attractions.” (reference: https://bookshop.org/books/poems-9781519702807/9781519702807)

Song of the Open Road:

Afoot and light-hearted I take to the open road,

Healthy, free, the world before me, The long brown path before me, leading wherever I choose. Henceforth I ask not good-fortune—I am good- fortune, Henceforth I whimper no more, postpone no more, need nothing, Strong and content, I travel the open road. The earth—that is sufficient, I do not want the constellations any nearer, I know they are very well where they are, I know they suffice for those who belong to them. Still here I carry my old delicious burdens, I carry them, men and women—I carry them with me wherever I go, I swear it is impossible for me to get rid of them, I am filled with them, and I will fill them in return. You road I travel and look around! I believe you are not all that is here, I believe that much unseen is also here.

A large part of my sexuality and my freedom to express my sexuality healthily is thanks to Walt Whitman. Not only did he save my life once, he helped me understand myself.

ART:

As for art. Frida Kahlo was a great inspiration for me in terms of female sexuality, loving both men and women, and thinking of sexuality as more than sex and attraction. I also have a strong desire to become a mother one day, as she did. I am also terrified of infertility, as she was.

“While many maintain she had sexual relationships with both men and women, what is true is that she considered sexuality as something that went beyond mere intercourse. It spoke of creation, life, and, of course, her wish to conceive and become a mother. This obsession was a constant in her life and was beautifully immortalized in the bright shapes and colors of her canvases.” (reference: https://culturacolectiva.com/art/frida-kahlo-sexuality-paintings)

TW: Blood, nudity, infertility, hospital bed, childbirth

MOVIE:

TW for the movie: sex scenes, some sexuality, use of the n word, drug use, brief violence, and language throughout.

I very much enjoyed the movie Moonlight. Not only was it filmed where I live, I also went to a showing for it near the place it was filmed. When it came out, I was overjoyed, and loved the themes it showed in the movie. The element of water has always been a recurring one in my own life. Moonlight handles difficult topics, such as incarceration, death, prejudice, racism, homosexuality, toxic masculinity, growing up in poverty, familial relationships, homophobia, AIDS, father-son relationships and dynamics, black culture, how black gay men are viewed, love and relationships, separations, machismo, anxiety, etc. in a beautiful, graceful manner. The main characters father is from Cuba, and speaks of black people and black culture in cuba. This is something that isn't spoken of as much as it should be. The afro-cuban culture in cuba is important, and a part of Cuban people's history and ancestry. As a Cuban woman, I was proud to hear about the experience the father shared, not necessarily because of the experience itself, but because people will hear it and learn. Things must change. Many of these themes are things I struggled with in my own life. I felt a sort of kinship with the movie and its characters.

Have some clips of the film:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7D0T4ivCsF4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6yMItXePG8&ab_channel=T-Manfilm

MUSIC:

I think I heard this song when I was around eleven years old. I think so many people know it already, it's very popular, but it was the first song I heard that really expressed feeling love for someone of the same sex. When I tried explaining to my mother how I felt inside, in terms of my sexuality and attraction to the members of the same sex, I showed her the youtube video of the song. It was a very interesting experience lol. Some lyrics I felt I related to were:

"Mother looking at me Tell me what do you see? Yes, I've lost my mind Daddy looking at me Will I ever be free? Have I crossed the line?"

And

"And I'm all mixed up, feeling cornered and rushed They say it's my fault, but I want her so much Want to fly her away,"

Spotify Link: https://open.spotify.com/track/4bJygwUKrRgq1stlNXcgMg

Music Video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mGBaXPlri8

QUOTE/BOOK

A quote that recently touched my heart was:

“In the darkness, two shadows, reaching through the hopeless, heavy dusk. Their hands meet, and light spills in a flood like a hundred golden urns pouring out of the sun.” from The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

When I read this, I thought, “This is what matters when you are with the one you love. This is all that should matter.”

Have a summary of the book from Goodreads.com (one of my favorite websites for organizing my books. If you want to follow me there, send me a message or ask and I’ll give it to you):

“Greece in the age of heroes. Patroclus, an awkward young prince, has been exiled to the court of King Peleus and his perfect son Achilles. By all rights their paths should never cross, but Achilles takes the shamed prince as his friend, and as they grow into young men skilled in the arts of war and medicine their bond blossoms into something deeper - despite the displeasure of Achilles' mother Thetis, a cruel sea goddess. But then word comes that Helen of Sparta has been kidnapped. Torn between love and fear for his friend, Patroclus journeys with Achilles to Troy, little knowing that the years that follow will test everything they hold dear.Profoundly moving and breathtakingly original, this rendering of the epic Trojan War is a dazzling feat of the imagination, a devastating love story, and an almighty battle between gods and kings, peace and glory, immortal fame and the human heart.”

And that’s it for me! I challenge ALL OF YOU to continue this and share your own. Feel free to reblog this and tag your own friends and mutuals to complete this challenge! Let’s share with each other the beautiful pieces of work that have inspired us as members of the LGBTQ+ community.

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hellotomyoldheart · 4 years

Text

quotes i can’t stop thinking about

part three

“& ‘i’ came out. (i’m sorry, father. ‘i’ wasn’t my fault.)” - toi derricotte, speculations about “i”.

“and you drink a little too much and try a little too hard. and you go home to a cold bed and think, that was fine. and your life is a long line of fine.” - gillian flynn, gone girl.

“i will kill you and eat you raw.” - madeline miller, the song of achilles.

“& how else to explain grief but as this mirror? this impossible joy that will not let you hold it.” - brenna twohy, draco malfoy looks into the mirror of the erased.

“at parties i point to my body and say this is where love comes to die. welcome, come in, make yourself at home. everyone laughs, they think i’m joking.” - warsan shire, the house.

“nothing ever ends poetically. it ends and we turn it into poetry. all that blood was never once beautiful, it was just red.” - kait rokowski.

“my english class had read macbeth in the fall, but only now was it starting to make sense why lady macbeth could never scrub the blood off her hands, why it was still there after she washed it away.” - donna tartt, the goldfinch.

“maybe i love you, maybe i’m just kinda bored. it is what it is till it ain’t anymore.” - kacey musgraves, it is what it is.

“maybe love shouldn’t.” - phil kaye & sarah kay, when love arrives.

“i want to be the only thing touching him. i want to be the only thing that ever touches him again. i will be envious of every shirt he ever wears, the cuffs of his coats, the trousers going soft with wear where they rub his inner thighs. every snowflake that ever falls upon his lips, every piece of bread upon his tongue. i want to breathe him, feel him fill up my chest until my ribs strain and i break open like ripe fruit beneath a paring knife. i would be raw. i would freckle and blister in the sun. i would teach my body to regrow my heart each time i gave it to him, over and over and over again. heart after heart after heart- every one of them his.” - mackenzi lee, the gentleman’s guide to getting lucky.

“‘coach still talks about her all the time,’ chris said. ‘he calls her the best that never was. why’d she quit running, do you know? i never understood that.’” - m.o walsh, my sunshine away.

“you keep calling yourself empty and you’re starting to believe it.” - neil hilborn, you can look.

“you hold an absence / at your center / as if it were a life.” - richard brostoff, grief.

“i awkwardly tell you i like your t-shirt. you say it’s just a grey t-shirt. you kiss the back of my legs and i want to cry. only the sun has come this close, only the sun.” - shauna barbosa, gps.

“i’ve known nights so cold the body is unlikely to bleed.” - michael lee, the only worlds we know.

“i’m remembering our first date, how you told me you couldn’t imagine marrying anyone who wasn’t jewish and i told you, just as earnestly, as gently, that i couldn’t imagine getting through high school without killing myself. and you said well that gives us three years.” - eireann corrigan, she tries out for varsity recklessness and only makes jv.

“if i knew your pain, i would bear it.” - mahbod serajj, rooftops of tehran.

“it's true. somewhere inside us we are all the ages we have ever been. we're the three year old who got bit by the dog. we're the six year old our mother lost track of at the mall. we're the ten year old who get tickled till we wet our pants. we're the thirteen year old shy kid with zits. we're the sixteen year old no one asked to the prom, and so on. we walk around in the bodies of adults until someone presses the right button and summons up one of those kids.” - jonathan tropper, this is where i leave you.

“you used to say, on a good day i only break his heart once.” - shane koyczan, a good day.

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