Feminism Quote by David Lehman
““When a woman loves a man, they have gone to swim naked in the stream on a glorious July day with the sound of the waterfall like a chuckle of water rushing over smooth rocks, and there is nothing alien in the universe. Ripe apples fall about them. What else can they do but eat? ... One year they broke up seven times and threatened to do it another nine times. When a woman loves a man, she wants him to meet her at the airport in a foreign country with a jeep. When a man loves a woman he's there. He doesn't complain that she's two hours late and there's nothing in the refrigerator. When a woman loves a man, she wants to stay awake. She's like a child crying at nightfall because she didn't want the day to end. When a man loves a woman, he watches her sleep, thinking: as midnight to the moon is sleep to the beloved. A thousand fireflies wink at him. The frogs sound like the string section of the orchestra warming up. The stars dangle down like earrings the shape of grapes.””
About This Quote
Source Poem: The Love of Summer, David Lehman, 2015
A vivid portrayal of love’s ecstatic, irrational joy and its tender, everyday expectations, contrasted with the inevitable cycles of breakups and reunions.
In simple terms: Love feels wild, tender, and cyclical.
Key Takeaway
Embrace love’s intensity while accepting its ups and downs.
Themes
love
joy
expectation
impermanence
nature
Mood
passionate
reflective
Type
poetic
descriptive
When to use this quote
- first dates
- long-distance relationships
- daily rituals
- breakup cycles
- reconciliation
Key Concepts
romanticism
sensory imagery
human connection
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you balance passionate longing with everyday responsibilities?
- What rituals sustain love through its cycles?
A Different Perspective
Love’s idealism may clash with practical realities of commitment.
