Hot Girl Summer is officially over, signaling the beginning of “cuffing season,” AKA the cold, frigid months where people start searching for someone with whom they can spend those long, winter nights with. Studies actually show that more men and women are interested in “cuffing,” which is a derivative of handcuffing (as you’re essentially chaining yourself to another person for a few months), during the winter than any other season. To get you into the spirit of romance, we decided to round up some of our favorite love quotes from the late Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish, because we cannot think of anyone else who had the God-given ability to use language to pull on our heartstrings in the same powerful way.
Born in 1941, Darwish quickly became the voice of Palestinian people, going on to win numerous awards for his works before his death in 2008 in Houston after complications with heart surgery. Pouring his heart and his soul into his poetry, the acclaimed writer published approximately thirty poetry and prose collections, which have been translated into more than twenty-two languages (though, if we’re being honest, they hit differently in Arabic.) In addition to beautifully expressing his feelings on exile, belonging, struggle, and occupation, the humanist also used his poetry to document his love affairs, including his contentious relationship with his Israeli lover, Rita, who turned out to be an opp.
Of their love, he wrote: “I love you despite the nose of my tribe, my city and the chains of customs. But I’m afraid if I sell everyone, you will sell me and I’ll return with disappointments.” When it was discovered that she was working for the Israeli Mossad intelligence, he said: “I felt like my homeland was occupied again.” Damn.
Below, some more Mahmoud Darwish poems and quotes on love that will have you longing to be laid up with your boo.
1. “After you nothing goes and nothing returns.”
2. “They asked ‘do you love her to death?’ I said ‘speak of her over my grave and watch how she brings me back to life.’”
3. “She says: ‘When are we going to meet?’ I say: ‘After the war is over.’ She says: ‘When does the war end?’ I say: ‘When we meet.’”
4. “On the train we swapped seats, you wanted the window and I wanted to look at you.”
5. “You are killing me and you are keeping me from dying. That is love.”
6. “The image of love reveals itself there; in a profoundly present absence.”
7. “And you became like coffee, in the deliciousness, and the bitterness, and the addiction.”
8. “Love! We have no aim but defeat in your wars.”
9. “All roads lead to you, even those I took to forget you.”
10. “We once said that only death would tear us apart. Death was late and we split.”
