Once upon a fevered dream, Kubla Khan did appear it seems. This poem was destined for greatness,and if it wasn't for an untimely visitor it would give up more than the scene staging. But alas that is really all that we have- a great beginning. We start with the introduction of Mr. Khan, or Kubla for I prefer to be on a first name basis with the characters. And in his Eden-like kingdom he creates a pleasure dome. It has a river and caverns running through it, with lots of gardens and hills. But below the dome lies the great chasm, a savage place, with a woman moaning for her demon lover, while the echoes scream war. But in the dome there is also an alabaster lady who enchants Kubla with her beauty, and then...nothing. The End.
So what makes this one of the ideal romances? I think it must be not only the poem, but also the circumstances surrounding it's creation. I myself have had many a fantastical dream, though I only remember fragments. But to have such a clear picture in ones mind, to actually be able to put it into words,and then to be interrupted just at the beginning of the good stuff! Or worse, to be forever known as the one who did the interrupting and prevented the story from being fully told. Oh the agony. But perhaps that is what makes this story truly great is that like any amazing romance, you come to the end wanting more. More adventures with the characters you have come to know and love. Or in my anti-romantical case- characters that you want to see descend into the depths of darkness and chaos. There is light and darkness, the lady on the hilltop and the one in the chasm. You have the chance to encounter a demon lover, who just screams of death. Now if only there were pirates this would be my choice for Ideal Romance. Pirates and cross-dressing.
