On Dating With Paul Celan's 'Corona'

Sara Martin writes about her connection with Paul Celan's poem, "Corona," at Literary Hub. Martin observes that we "all have material that works; sparkling coming-of-age stories about thumb warts exploding on prom dates or thinking your dad is Bruce Springsteen. But 'Corona-ing' is a little different." More: 

It means reciting the Paul Celan poem, “Corona,” to someone you’ve gone on a date with, picked up at Snake & Jake’s, or busted out of their halfway house. However you say it.

This poem, in my experience, makes the receiver feel special. Too special, my roommate would argue. False special. Social-experiment special. Renee had approached me months earlier concerned that I was abusing the poem because she heard it… All. The. Time. In our apartment. She strongly urged me to give up my “Corona” crutch and try dating without it.

I’d agreed I should stop reciting it so much, even though I knew she reused material too, like that time she really did find a needle in a haystack. But it was hard to resist; I had no idea “Corona” would compel the way it did. Maybe it’s time for a new poem, I said to her that morning.

Read on at Literary Hub.