Soul Merchants - "Love"

To be dragged by your hair, leather clothes squeaking on the shiny tile floor, down a high school hallway between classes. Kids stare open-mouthed in horror through locker mirrors as this beast, cuff spiked and hair the same, has found her prize. A few measely nerds step in the way in feeble attempts to "stand up" for you, but they are cast away with mere snarls, thrown crumpling into locker doors. Even teachers are helpless to your state, their true non-authority revealed so quickly, like they had just been pants'd. A trail of dark fluid draws a line behind you, as you head, head-first, out to the football field. To be strung up, arms and legs tied taught in a star formation, between the field goal posts. Your body, now a sort of grotesque flag, signals the start of a ritual, one to be played-out beyond your control, one of overwhelming events, the least of which you have experienced up to now. All these things together, I believe, to Soul Merchants, are Love. [Buy]

Bon Iver - "Skinny Love"

A much different kind. A kind much softer, made of small sticks, of weak coffee. This is a love felt while looking at your watch. It has a bit of a teenage feeling too, but it seems also very weathered. Like, can we do this thing?

"Hassy, do you ever pray?"
"Mostly on buses."

- from Rabbit Redux, by John Updike

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