The Madness of Don Quixote

Please take this piece of poetry with a grain of salt, a dab of lemon, a pinch of cinnamon, and a shot of tequila. You're going to need it, and you can thank me later.

The Madness of Don Quixote

By

Carlos Lorenzo Estrada 

"That's the nature of women, not to love when we love them, and to love when we love them not." - 

Miguel de Cervantes

In this flight of fantasy 

I wear my armor righteously 

Holdfast to noble cause

For justice and its laws

A preening knight in chivalry

Jousting towards each victory

I slay the dragons of my mind

in tilted windmills left behind 

Yet, I pine in sorrowful delusion

Whilst lost in reverie of ardor's Illusion 

For the tragedy of madness and love; are akin

In these wars; that our hearts...can not win.

Author's Note

My muse Cate Blanchett asked me in between a puff of her long cigarette. "Would you die for love?" I waited for the briefest second before answering, "Would this particular love die for me?" I asked looking deep into her glamorous eyes. "Yes." She replied. And in my pugnacious cynicism I said, "No. If someone loves me that much then they should want to live an eternity of nagging frustrated angst. That's why it's considered unconditional. " With those words this single battle was won. I shall celebrate my victory against her; cautiously. PS, in the words of the great rock poet who once sang this most powerful statement on love in which I recognize now as true, "Love is a battlefield". Indeed...

Reviews

[Red Brick Keshner]

Pat Benatar knew her stuff. And old Don Quixote was the first novel I read (in English). Also saw the older film version in B&W. I particularly enjoy the windmill jousting scene and Sophia Loren singing "It's All the Same" is particularly stuck in my memory still. Those were the days Carlos, those were the days!
Frederick.

[Patricia Wedel]

dear Frederick… Bravo on your Review. Absolutely True Blue and Beautiful… Pat

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

I agree with Pat on your thoughtful comment Fredrick. Thank you both so much for your time and kind words. I really appreciate it. CLE

[Fabian G. Franklin]

Everybody wants to rescue the fair maiden from the dragon. Hey, dragons gotta' eat too. (laughing) But you know the dragon never eats the fair maiden, he keeps her in his den. He won't let her leave like Kong in the movie except breathing fire. I guess if you're a big monkey or a dragon it's pretty hard to find one of your own kind to love. Heck, it's hard to find one of our own kind anywhere and there are plenty of people (and fair maidens) to choose from. Now I'm listening to "I need you tonight" by INXS... I like that line, "one of my kind". Cheers, just over here making dance moves at the computer. (laughing)

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

You my friend have great taste in music. Though I have to agree with Pat Benetar "Love is a battlefield". Thank you for sharing your awesome thoughts with me. CLE

[Linda Marie Van Tassell]

The harder we try to hold on, the further it gets from our grasp. Truly, one must set it free. If it returns, then it was meant to be.

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Love is a beguiling emotion in that it defines who we are as empathetic human beings. One can never escape it for at some point it will become a part of your existence. Whether it is a love for someone, or even an adoration for being alone. And thus there is an inescapable madness to it. Thank you for your comment on this piece.

[Gee]

Love, as with rollercoasters comes with many ups and downs, these being the make or break of many a relationship where folk will not invest time, patience, understanding to battle through. When all is said and done, as a man, we are only playing second fiddle to a love much greater than ours, that of a father.(writes a father of a daughter)
Beautifully written

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

I agree. No greater challenge in this world than that of love. Yet it is not a challenge at all to love, but to try and make an effort too. Thank you Gee for sharing that enlightened comment. CLE

[Mauricio Montoya]

Wow history with a blend love,war and a Mexican stand off but I love how with flow you brought this together the irony in this write they or him couldn't bring it together. Excellent write. And thank you for sharing

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Thank you Mauricio for reading and sharing your thoughts on this poem. I appreciate it my friend

[Mauricio Montoya]

Thank you for sharing and writing

[Patricia Wedel]

Yes, Carlis.. Love ❤️ is a Battlefield… with Wounds. We must Survive as Best we can… Love of our Country and the Children Born will be our Battle Cry. We love our
❤️
Soldiers and stay by their Side… Honor Bright.. as our Precious Shirley Temple said in the Movie “Now and Forever”. tenderly, Pat

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Thank you Pat for sharing your thoughts with me on this poem. I readily admit that no one should ever take love advice from anything I write because it comes from a biased perspective. Especially from someone who believes there is a thin line between madness and love. Which I do. Hahaha. A person would have to be insane to draw equal inspiration from two legends to create a perplexing piece of poetry that equates love as a battle that could never be one. I admit that in my hubris I may have bitten off more than I could chew, my dear poet friend. I'm stricken with the utter madness of ever trying to understand Love. I course I say this in jest...or do I? CLE

[Coyote Poetry]

Hello Carlos. I read the book last Summer for the first time. "The Madness of Don Quixote". I enjoyed the book. When you believe in something. IS it true?
"For the tragedy of madness and love; are akin
In these wars; that our hearts...can not win."
The above lines. So real, so true. Thank you for sharing the outstanding poetry.
Coyote

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Thank you CP for sharing your thoughts with me on this poem. Love, to me in my biased perspective, is the fight for our heart. Because to love someone you must be willing to sacrifice space in your heart for them. It is a piece one will never get back and can only be filled by a love in equal measure. And that doesn't always happen because we only can control the love we give, never the love we need and get in return. We can only hope it is the same. I wanted so much to speak to this idea of love. I was happy this piece allowed me the opportunity to do so. I do remind others that I'm no expert on love and what I tend to express is simply my perspective and way love has impacted me. Despite the maddening heartache I would do it again. I guess that is what makes me a fool and dreamer for love. CLE

[Coyote Poetry]

I agree Carlos and you are welcome.

[Soren]

Love and hate both four letter words, mirror reflections, yet you can't have one without the other. Dom Quixote was one of my favorites. Love is a battlefield where most battles are won at a pyrrhic cost. I loved the flow of this poem as well as the message.

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Thank you Soren for your comment on this poem. This was a fun composition. The very first lines written for this piece was the middle section "I slay the dragons of my mind in tilted windmills left behind". That part alone inspired the rest and gave life to this delightful commentary on love. That emotion truly is maddening to say the least. But essential for our growth as human beings. CLE

[W. Barrett Munn]

Cate Blanchett makes for a marvelous muse (what do you have to do around here to get a Stoli martini with a twist of lemon?)
I enjoyed your musings as well, CLE

Winston

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Thank you so much for your kind thoughts Winston. I appreciate it immensely my friend. Even an old classic like Cervantes novel Don Quixote can still teach us a thing or two in the ways of love. Both in its hope and tragedy. We've all at one time or another tilted windmills in our maddening pursuit of love. Or perhaps our battle against it. A good martini sounds good about now, especially when discussing such a powerful emotion we are doomed to experience sometime in life. Thank you again my friend.