My Love Mine All Mine
Round two of last year's Valentine's Day recommendations, this time with the tone of a queer elder who has been with their partner for one whole year.
Last year, I put out a list of art/media recommendations for Valentine's Day as I was full of the good honeymoony hormones from the beginning of a relationship. This year, I'm a year into that same relationship and feeling more settled, self-assured, and comfortable with my partner and myself. We also live together now (yes U-Haul haha you’re so funny). I’m a little bit late this year, getting this in just under the wire. Part of living with my partner and our three cats (insert more lesbian jokes here) is that I have so many things to think about all day long that things like creative projects can sometimes get sidelined. But we make times for the things that matter. For example, instead of enjoying Valentine’s Day with my partner, I’m writing this Substack post that approximately no one will read. Because art! So please enjoy, and let me know if you vibe with any of these. Quoting other people is one of my love languages.
Poems
Having a Coke with You by Frank O’Hara
“in the warm New York 4 o’clock light we are drifting back and forth / between each other like a tree breathing through its spectacles”
Asking About You by Eloise Klein Healy
“What I want most is to have been a girl with you and played on the opposite team so I could have liked you and competed against you at the same time.”
Practicing by Marie Howe
“I want to write a love poem for the girls I kissed in seventh grade, / a song for what we did on the floor in the basement”
A Memory of Us by Safia Elhillo
“cornus florida, black-eyed susan, & you, / & you, my bright hibiscus, my every color”
Music
My Love Mine All Mine by Mitski
Strike by Eliza McLamb
Without You Without Them by boygenius
Be Careful With Yourself by Julia Jacklin
You Stupid Bitch by girl in red
Kissing Lessons by Lucy Dacus
So Hot You’re Hurting My Feelings by Caroline Polachek
Cool Dry Place by Katy Kirby
Red Little Fox by Sufjan Stevens
Dress by Taylor Swift (but only in a gay way)
Bags by Clairo
lacy by Olivia Rodrigo (also in a gay way)
Books
Couplets: A Love Story by Maggie Millner
All About Love by bell hooks
People I’ve Met From the Internet by Stephen Van Dyck
Little Weirds by Jenny Slate
Pretty Baby by Chris Belcher
Come As You Are by Emily Nagoski, PhD
On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong