THE MAP OF LOVE

I wasn’t even looking for it. 

I was looking for an old shoebox with the baseball cards, 

the ones I bought when I was 8, the Topps ones of Willie McCovey and Tom Seaver,

of Roberto Clemente and Steve Carlton, 

the mystery of youth, 

the crying out of desire, 

and I did not find it. What I did find

rolled up behind some old tennis racquets and a rug was a map of sorts, a directional, something, hopefully, that could lead the way into the mysterious unknown of everything.

I unrolled it and all of these images of broken hearts and burned-out buildings 

next to these other images of chrysanthemum and sunflower, 

Volkswagen Bugs with dents on the fender and little kids falling out of trees 

strewn across the parchment, transfixed my gaze.

There were north/south compasses and east west road signs. 

Bridges and tunnels; rivers and mountains. Longitudes and latitudes.

There were bells and whistles and arrows and arrows on fire. 

And at the top, near the country called Tenderness, 

between the countries of Forgiveness and Screaming Banshee were the words

The Map of Love. 

Looking at it was a drug, hypnotic, 

and I was part Narcissus and part The Hulk. 

Part Lois Lane and part German Shephard. 

It scared me and it was a kaleidoscope. 

I did not know what to do with it—

burn it or bury it, 

push it close to my heart or closer to my spine. 

It was dusty, too, and full of crinkles 

so I took it the copy machine down the block 

and made a million copies and walked around the world 

handing them out to the world 

because even if we are not lost and in need of some guidance,

this kind of map can set you free 

even in your sweetest hour.

 

About the Poem:

Stephin Merritt’s song “Book of Love” is a perfect song. It drips just joy and sadness all at the same time. It’s sentimental and not at the same time. The melody, a lullaby, coupled with his brilliant lyrics–crushingly beautiful. I always wanted to do a cover song in poetry. How can you do a cover song in poetry? So, I wrote “Map of Love,” a kind of cover song, trying to capture the spirit of “Book of Love.” It’s a bit of a rip off, and not, more of a complete inspiration. I think I had been listening to Peter Gabriel’s cover of the composition and thought, “If Pete can do a cover, so can I.”

About the Poet:

Matthew Lippman is the author of 9 poetry collections. His latest collection, We AreAll Sleeping With Our Sneakers On (2024), is published by Four Way Books. Hisprevious collection Mesmerizingly Sadly Beautiful (2020) is published by Four Way Books. It was the recipient of the 2018 Levis Prize. His 2025 collection, King of the Jews is published by Ben Yehuda Press. In 2027 his collection, CryBaby Cry, will be published by Four Way Books.