Week of 10/2/14: Two Voice Poem

Prompt:  Two voice poem
Book:  The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
Pages read - start to 75
*Just so you know, a lot of the lines in this are actual quotes from the book, I wanted to share them because they are interesting perspectives on subjects that are common.  I love the contradictoriness of this book, along with all of it's paradoxes.*  

             Dorian                                                                                   Lord Henry Wotten

                                                                                                  Ah, Dorian, you are so youthful  and innocent. Do not let humanity take that away from

you. Humanity takes itself to seriously.  It is the world's

original sin.  

Dear God, Henry!  I have never been more                                
fascinated; but do not taint me against life and humanity!
Do tell me, what is your opinion on marriage, I must know,
for there is the most brilliant lady I have my sights on...

Never marry at all, Dorian. Men marry

because they are tired; women, because they are

curious ; both are disappointed. 

You know, Basil warned me about you.  He told me not 

to listen to you, but I can't help but to listen to your views,

granted, I don't agree with all of your words... 

Words! Mere words! How terrible they

are!  How clear, and vivid, and cruel!

Words of paradox...

I feel as though I am not using my time to

it's potential.  You speak a lot about this, 

Henry...  I feel as though I am afraid...

Live! Live the wonderful life that is in you.  Be afraid

of nothing.  Let nothing be lost upon you. 

Let me speak, Basil!

Maybe you shall write this down someday? 

You would enlighten many. 

I am too fond of books to care to write them.

Let him listen!

My beauty is being wasted on sitting for portraits.

There you go...

How terrible this is!  I could be doing things now 

Yes...  Go on!  I have all day.

But alas, I have such a short time, I will never be able to

experience everything!

Some things are more precious because

they don't last long, Dorian.

But how you prattle on about experience?

Experience is merely the name men give their mistakes.

But to define is to limit.

What even made you take interest in me? 

Your desire to know, your beauty, and your youthful

passion..

It seems your ideologies and theories are an

excuse for a lack of human emotion, Lord Henry.

I have grown to love secrecy. 

I don't want to be at mercy of my emotions.  I want to use 

them, enjoy them, and to dominate them.  

I see, well I must get going.  Sibyl is to

be playing Juliet to-night.  

Yes, good night Dorian, remember;

The world is changed because you are made of

ivory and gold.  The curves of your lips rewrite history. 

*I thought it wise to end the poem there, I didn't want to rattle on and dilute this poem of it's meaning.  Take these quotes as you will, this book is not for everyone.  But certainly for me.*

My favorite: "Nowadays most people die of a sort of creeping common sense, and discover when it is too late that the only things one never regrets are one's mistakes.”