Love and Misadventure is an adorably crafted book by the Sydney born artist and poet, Lang Leav. Written in a youthful voice, Leav winds her way through the beautiful heartache that we call love. Intermingled with her short poems are prose that are poignant and thought provoking. She illustrated the book herself with whimsical images of girls at the beginning of each section of the book. In the first few sections she writes about heartache and the feeling of what it is like to lose a love, the hardships of relationships and the longing for her soul mate. Each of her poems are easy to relate to and even though they are short, their words hang in the air even after the page has been turned. Her poems range from cute and rhyming to woeful and adrift. From the section Misadventure:
“A Stranger
There is a love I reminisce,
like a seed
I’ve never sown.
Of lips that I am yet to kiss,
and eyes
not met my own.
Hands that wrap around my wrists,
and arms
that feel like home.
I wonder how it is I miss,
These things
I’ve never known.”
-Lang Leav
Her poems are short and about every day longing, yet seem so profound. Her section on misadventure will pull at your heartstrings. Luckily, the section called Love is adorable, fun filled and is about everything good in a relationship. This book is a perfect read when you are in need of a quick pick-me-up or if you enjoy poetry. Even if you do not, I highly recommend this book; it will restore your love for poetry that college English classes might have squashed. Leav is a true artist of the word and sweetly conveys what we all feel everyday in her charming and magical work. It would make a great gift for your mom or your friends!
“He and I
When words run dry,
He does not try,
Nor do I.
We are on par.
He just is,
I just am,
And we just are.”
-Lang Leav