If I wanted to be Rimbaud, what was I doing in graduate school? Trying to stay out of the army, of course. Graduate study gave me a draft deferment. But I also knew I lacked erudition and polish and was...
Pity the selfishness of lovers: it is brief, a forlorn hope; it is impossible.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where does the first saying take place?
It takes place during graduate study, framed as a way of avoiding military service rather than pursuing real ambition.
What does the second saying say about selfish love?
It describes selfish love as brief and doomed, calling it a forlorn hope that can never truly succeed.
Do these sayings share a similar mood?
Yes, both carry a quietly resigned, melancholic mood despite covering very different subjects.
Is either saying meant to feel hopeful?
Neither leans hopeful; both linger in doubt, longing, and a sense of quiet defeat.
Who might connect with this collection?
Readers drawn to reflective, slightly melancholic writing about ambition, love, and unmet expectations.
A second line turns to love, describing selfish affection as brief and ultimately impossible, a forlorn hope destined never to last.
