First Love

I contributed to a discussion recently on whom, besides a family member, one had as a childhood hero. Most people mentioned celebrities of one kind or another, or comic book figures. For me the answer was simple: it was a girl in my boarding school, let me call her Lorna, not her real name. I saw her when I was in first form in my early teens. She was in fifth form, a prefect, a member of the upper school. She was beautiful, excellent at sports, excellent in so many ways. Yes, she was my heroine but there was more: she was the first person ever to inspire romantic thoughts. Quite simply I had a terrible crush on her. But we never spoke; she probably wasn’t even aware of my existence. For, you see, Lorna was a goddess straight from Mount Olympus whereas Ana was a mere mortal. :-)

Blest as the immortal gods is he,
The youth who fondly sits by thee,
And hears and sees thee, all the while,
Softly speaks and sweetly smile.

'Twas this deprived my soul of rest,
And raised such tumults in my breast;
For, while I gazed, in transport tossed,
My breath was gone, my voice was lost;

My bosom glowed; the subtle flame
Ran quick through all my vital frame;
O'er my dim eyes a darkness hung;
My ears with hollow murmurs rung;

In dewy damps my limbs were chilled;
My blood with gentle horrors thrilled:
My feeble pulse forgot to play;
I fainted, sunk, and died away.