Stupid Love

A man risked his life to write the words. Unfortunately, instead of the intended "I Love You Sweetheart" he left the message "I love Your Sweatheart" which became the title of Thomas Lux's poem (from New and Selected Poems of Thomas Lux: 1975-1995).

A man hung upside down (an idiot friend
holding his legs?) with spray paint
to write the words on a girder fifty feet above
a highway.

And yet, to Lux, the painted, mistaken message is a message of love.

Love is like this at the bone, we hope, love
is like this, Sweatheart, all sore and dumb
and dangerous, ignited, blessed

The stupid things we do for love. Hanging above the highway spraypainting our love poem. They may be all the more cherished for the bravery that stupidity sometimes requires. Perhaps, the sweat of one heart is what made the act all the sweeter. Maybe it is just poor spelling. Maybe the intended never saw the message. Or laughed at it and did not laugh with him.

Write a poem about how stupid we can be when we are in love. Stupid love.

Submissions for this August prompt are due by September 2.