When people think of soap operas, they think of many things… but poetry is probably not chief amongst them. And yet over the past month or so, viewers of THE BOLD & THE BEAUTIFUL — the sudsy saga set in the glitzy world of the Los Angeles fashion industry — have witnessed forbidden love blossoming between a man and woman who share a common love of poetry in general, and one poem in particular.
The tale is the kind of twisted, epic romance that THE BOLD & THE BEAUTIFUL does better than any other soap. Over two decades ago, we watched as handsome playboy Ridge Forrester fell in love with Brooke Logan, a poor girl from the other side of town. They were, we were told, one another’s “destiny.”
But a lot can happen over the span of a lifetime, especially when you are characters on a soap opera. These days, Ridge is committed to making a life with Brooke… despite having fallen hard for her soft-spoken sister, Katie. Recently, Katie and Ridge realized they shared a love for the Percy Bysshe Shelley poem Love’s Philosophy. So much so that when the officiant began reading the poem at Ridge and Brooke’s latest wedding — at which Katie was, of course, matron of honor! — poor Katie collapsed!
The story is full of longing glances and beautiful musical cues… and repeated swoon-worthy readings of this poem. Enjoy!
The fountains mingle with the river
And the rivers with the ocean,
The winds of heaven mix for ever
With a sweet emotion;
Nothing in the world is single;
All things by a law divine
In one spirit meet and mingle.
Why not I with thine?—
See the mountains kiss high heaven
And the waves clasp one another;
No sister-flower would be forgiven
If it disdained its brother;
And the sunlight clasps the earth
And the moonbeams kiss the sea:
What is all this sweet work worth
If thou kiss not me?
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