Sappho and Her Contribution to Lesbian Poetry
Many people believe that lesbian poetry is a new trend. But the truth is that lesbian poetry has a long history that started in Ancient Greece. Sappho of Lesbos was one of the first female poets who chanted the beauty of women and talked openly about her love for girls.
She created nine volumes of verses during her life, but only a mere two complete poems and some fragments survived through the centuries and made it to our times. Notably, her works were the first explicitly lesbian books.
Even though Sappho was born around 630BC, her lyrics are still relevant. Many modern women admire the poetry of this Archaic Greek poet and cite the fragments of her works on Twitter. More than thirty new tweets appear on the app every hour. Check them out to find inspiration and get into a romantic mood.
Do Sappho lyrics resonate with you? Follow Sappho Bot on Twitter, and you will read a few fragments of her works every day. It's a fun way to familiarize yourself with Archaic Greek verse and become not only more romantic but also better educated.
My tongue freezes. Fire,
— Sappho Bot (@sapphobot) January 6, 2022
Delicate fire, in the flesh.
Blind, stunned, the sound
Of thunder, in my ears.
Sappho is an important historical figure, and she will always be. She not only created poems that proclaim female homosexuality but also contributed to the development of terminology related to the queer community. The experts say that the terms "lesbian" and "sapphic" are derived from Sappho and her lyrics.
Lesbian poetry started with Sappho and then get widespread all over the world. In every country, in every century, there were women who expressed their feelings toward other women in a lyric form. Let's get familiar with the best poetry created by lesbians.
For the Courtesan Ch'ing Lin, by Wu Tsao
"On your slender body
Your jade and coral girdle ornaments chime
Like those of a celestial companion
Come from the Green Jade City of Heaven.
One smile from you when we meet,
And I become speechless and forget every word."
Wu Tsao is known as the "third woman poet of China". She lived in the 1800s and was famous for her beautiful poems about loving other women. She had a weakness for courtesans and wrote bluntly erotic love letters to express her feelings.
The poem devoted to Courtesan Ch'ing Lin (the one you have just read) is one of the most remarkable works of Wu Tsao. It tells us a story about passion and irrepressible physical excitement.
If you want to show your lover that she turns you on sexually, read her this love letter aloud. The sophisticated language of the writing and erotic phrases such as "slender body" and "play wine games" will not leave her indifferent.
Kenneth Rexroth, a celebrated poet of America, once said about Wu Tsao: "She is one of the great Lesbian poets of all time, perhaps not as great as Sappho, but certainly greater than any modern ones."
If you are not familiar with Wu Tsao's works, you should fix this mistake right now. Read her lyrics translated into English and share your experience with the girl of your heart.
Tip: In case your partner and you both speak Chinese, read the original Chinese version to enhance the experience.
Recreation, by Audre Lorde
"As your body moves
under my hands
charged and waiting
we cut the leash
you create me against
your thighs
hilly with images
moving through our word
countries
my body
writes into your flesh
the poem
you make of me."
Audre Lorde describes herself as a "black, lesbian, mother, warrior, poet". Without a doubt, she is one of the most famous Black feminist poets of all time. Her love poetry is filled with passion and braveness that inspire new generations of queer writers.
In contrast to many lesbians of her time, Lorde was extremely proud of her sexual identity. She was never ashamed of who she was and what she felt. She used her talent to motivate LGBTQ people to follow her example and become more open about their sexual desire.
Lorder's poetry is rich in erotic details. The tone of her writing is romantic and frank. Audre evolves readers into the world of real interpersonal relationships that are always complex and emotionally demanding.
Interesting fact: Audre was married with a gay man and gave birth to two children. In 1970s, Lorde got divorced and met Frances Clayton, her longtime lesbian partner.
In her poem "Recreation", Audre discusses two important topics: lovemaking and writing - the act of physical love expression and the act of art creation. The word "recreation" also has two meanings. The first meaning is a "sexual play of lovers". The second meaning is the "ever-repeating process of art creation".
If your lover is a person of art, "Recreation" is a must-read for your couple. Lesbian poetry like this is exactly what you need to build emotional intimacy with your partner. We also suggest you read more poems written by Audre Lorde: "Love Poem", "Who Said It Was Simple", and others.
For the Goddess Too Well Known, by Elsa Gidlow
"I have brought her, laughing,
To my quietly dreaming garden.
For what will be done there
I ask no man pardon."
Elsa Gidlowwas published the first volume of brazenly honest lesbian poetry "On A Grey Thread" in 1923. A century later, we still find her poetry relevant and exciting.
Lesbian women still reclaim Elsa's words and celebrate the beauty of female bodies. They quote the lines from the poem "For the Goddess Too Well Known" and repeat the statement that "they don't need to ask a man pardon to love women and express their sexuality".
If your partner is fond of lesbian poetry, the chances are she is familiar with these verses. Throw a romantic dinner and offer your lover to read favorite fragments to each other. It will make your night together more special and more intimate.
You Love, You Wonder, by Brenda Shaughnessy
But you really love this woman, how come no one can see this? Everyone must
become suddenly very clumsy at recognizing beauty if you are to keep her.
Brenda Shaughnessy is a gifted poet of 21 century. Her style is pretty unique, and it combines a catchy Latinate structure with baroque themes. Shaughnessy leverages a one-of-a-kine word-building strategy that makes her lyrics stand out from the crowd.
Mary Jo Bang, who works for Harvard Review, describes Shaughnessy’s voice as "smart, sexy, self-aware, hip… consistently wry, and ever-savvy."
"You Love, You Wonder" tells us about love that makes us obsessed with the beauty of our lovers and drives jealousy. The poem describes the feeling when you want your girl to be only yours and when you want to be the only person who can touch her fingers, smell the scent of her hair, and stay with her at night.
Does this poem resonate with you? Read it to your woman. These lines will tell more than you can tell in an honest conversation. They will explain the reasons for your jealousy in the most explicit form.