Many know C.S. Lewis from the Narnia series, or his Christian apologetic works. But, fewer people are acquainted with the written work of his wife, Joy Davidman Gresham. A communist American, former atheist who became Christian after reading C.S. Lewis’ Christian works…she fell in love with him shortly after her visit to England in 1951(?). She ended up moving to England with her two sons (and divorced her abusive and cheating husband – who, by the way, cheated on her with her cousin)…where she tried to make a new life for herself. Their love story has a bittersweet ending, but what I find HILARIOUS is that for several years she had to endure being FRIENDZONED by Lewis. In that time, she wrote several sonnets about him, or addressed to him. I love her brazen style.
XXIX
There was a man who found a naked tree
Sleeping in winter woods, and brought her home.
And tended her a month in charity
Until she woke, and filled his quiet room
With petals like a storm of silver light,
Bursting, blazing, blended all of pearl
And moonshine; he, in wonder and delight,
Patted her magic boughs and said: Good girl.
Thereafter, still obedient to the summer,
The tree worked at her trade, until behold
A summer miracle of red and gold,
Apples of the Hesperides upon her,
Sweeter than Eden and its vanished bowers…
He said: No, no, I only wanted flowers. – 1954/55?
XI
You have such reasons for not loving me
As would persuade the sunfire to go out,
Divorce the moon from the obedient sea,
Make rain fall upward, head the rose to flout
The amorous honeybees, and talk the wind
Out of a wandering life; as would compel
Satan to consort with angel kind
And Gabriel to wallow deep in hell.
The argument that keeps the sun in power
Over his children, makes the firefly glow,
Adorns the summer with her proper flower
And decorates the winter with his snow,
Makes dead men rise and promises come true –
Such reasons do I have for loving you – 2/14/53
XVIII
I think, my lad, you learn your charity
By rote and not by heart. ’Tis very well
For flights of angels, as I hear you tell,
To shower love on all men equally;
But you and I were made for other ends,
And you are something short of angel yet;
And if you smile upon the thing you hate,
‘This kinder to your enemies than friends.
Love universal is love spread too thin
To keep a mortal warm; and when you wear
One smile for all, you freeze me with despair;
For my poor woman’s wits cannot begin
To know if I’m a pleasure or a bore;
Less charity, my angel, might be more. – 2/23/1954
Oh these are lovely! I knew he married late and that she was divorced with sons, but I didn’t know she was a poet and struggled to win his heart.
But ultimately she did and the result were two books “Surprised by Joy” when he fell in love, and “A Grief Observed” when she died of cancer.
Can you imagine their conversations at the table over dinner?
thanks for this wonderful information!
pineapplegongzhu
February 13, 2020 at 7:52 AM
Day 13: Friendzoned by C.S. Lewis
Many know C.S. Lewis from the Narnia series, or his Christian apologetic works. But, fewer people are acquainted with the written work of his wife, Joy Davidman Gresham. A communist American, former atheist who became Christian after reading C.S. Lewis’ Christian works…she fell in love with him shortly after her visit to England in 1951(?). She ended up moving to England with her two sons (and divorced her abusive and cheating husband – who, by the way, cheated on her with her cousin)…where she tried to make a new life for herself. Their love story has a bittersweet ending, but what I find HILARIOUS is that for several years she had to endure being FRIENDZONED by Lewis. In that time, she wrote several sonnets about him, or addressed to him. I love her brazen style.
XXIX
There was a man who found a naked tree
Sleeping in winter woods, and brought her home.
And tended her a month in charity
Until she woke, and filled his quiet room
With petals like a storm of silver light,
Bursting, blazing, blended all of pearl
And moonshine; he, in wonder and delight,
Patted her magic boughs and said: Good girl.
Thereafter, still obedient to the summer,
The tree worked at her trade, until behold
A summer miracle of red and gold,
Apples of the Hesperides upon her,
Sweeter than Eden and its vanished bowers…
He said: No, no, I only wanted flowers. – 1954/55?
XI
You have such reasons for not loving me
As would persuade the sunfire to go out,
Divorce the moon from the obedient sea,
Make rain fall upward, head the rose to flout
The amorous honeybees, and talk the wind
Out of a wandering life; as would compel
Satan to consort with angel kind
And Gabriel to wallow deep in hell.
The argument that keeps the sun in power
Over his children, makes the firefly glow,
Adorns the summer with her proper flower
And decorates the winter with his snow,
Makes dead men rise and promises come true –
Such reasons do I have for loving you – 2/14/53
XVIII
I think, my lad, you learn your charity
By rote and not by heart. ’Tis very well
For flights of angels, as I hear you tell,
To shower love on all men equally;
But you and I were made for other ends,
And you are something short of angel yet;
And if you smile upon the thing you hate,
‘This kinder to your enemies than friends.
Love universal is love spread too thin
To keep a mortal warm; and when you wear
One smile for all, you freeze me with despair;
For my poor woman’s wits cannot begin
To know if I’m a pleasure or a bore;
Less charity, my angel, might be more. – 2/23/1954
Love,
February
pineapplegongzhu
February 13, 2020 at 8:31 AM
Whoops! Mistake. In poem XI, first stanza, the word should be lead and not head
pineapplegongzhu
February 13, 2020 at 10:35 AM
@azzo1 @katakwasabi @leetennant @ally-le @snarkyjellyfish @bebeswtz @msrabbit @kat23 @hebang @ndlessjoie @yuyuu @lugirl131415 @tspmasala @willow @moomoomoondog @carmen @hotcocoagirl @mindy @gadis @coffeprince4eva @suriyana-shah @pinklolipop @sicarius @egads @kimbapnoona @justme @greenfields @wishfultoki @raonah @moana @anothernicole @khalessymd @oppafangirl @bammsie @natzillagorilla @acacia @sweetiepie54 @waterhyacinth @isthatacorner @fatcat007 @tsutsuloo @maybemaknae @rukia @pineapplegongzhu @eazal @babybeast @thetinyl @yyishere @stpauligurl @ayaan @outofthisworld @mayhemf @kudoran
stpauligurl
February 13, 2020 at 10:46 AM
Oh these are lovely! I knew he married late and that she was divorced with sons, but I didn’t know she was a poet and struggled to win his heart.
But ultimately she did and the result were two books “Surprised by Joy” when he fell in love, and “A Grief Observed” when she died of cancer.
Can you imagine their conversations at the table over dinner?
thanks for this wonderful information!
Ally
February 13, 2020 at 10:55 AM
I didn’t know she was friendzoned either!
Rukia wants melona
February 13, 2020 at 11:36 AM
These are wonderful!!!!!
Thank you so much for sharing, @pineapplegongzhu!
Bebe | Nessa❣️
February 13, 2020 at 12:44 PM
I didn’t know this!!! Thank you for sharing 🙂 This is wonderful