Quagmire

Quagmire is a novella about unrequited love; about dysfunctional love; about love, since all love is unrequitted; since all love is dysfunctional. Men and women come at love from entirely different perspectives. Because of this, both leave love feeling that they are the aggrieved party. Only selflessness can prevent such an end; but selflessness is not a virtue that is taught in our modern society, nor given any credance. Yet it is only through selflessness that love exists.

From another work by the author:

The muscles of man are born of the earth;
his wisdom rests in the toil to which they are turned.
But a woman's body is a tear from Heaven;
it wets the earth and brings forth life.