Commonplace books were often used in the past, to collect ideas, poems, notes, and quotations. They were also known as Florilegium—a gathering of flowers, essentially. So here is a digital commonplace page—some articles, poems, and images I’ve loved this week. If you have quotes, links, poems you’ve loved lately, please share in the comments!
What good is it to me if long ago
you eloquently praised my golden hair,
compared my eyes and beauty to the flare
of two suns where, you say, love bent the bow,
sending the darts that needled you with grief?
Where are your tears that faded into the ground?
Your death? by which your constant love is bound
in oaths and honor now beyond belief?
Your brutal goal was to make me a slave
beneath the ruse of being served by you.
Pardon me, friend, and for once hear me through:
I am outraged with anger and I rave.
Yet I am sure, wherever you have gone,
your martyrdom is hard as my black dawn.
---Louise Labé of Lyon (1525-66)
I appreciate the link!