In a passage from Loving in the War Years page 24 by Moraga it reveals how love and intimacy are shaped by violence, displacement, and uncertainty. ” Loving in the war years calls for this kind of risking without a home to call our own” (p.24) These frames love as a dangerous act that is unstable and unprotected. The lack of home suggests literal displacement that could happen during a war and the absence of culture or social belonging especially for queer women of color.
The repetition of “I’ve got to take you as you come” highlights Moraga consistently adapting to the partners state of being. The relationship is not fully secure. This can tie back into how in war and oppression constantly alters relationships. The reference to “what deaths you saw today” brings the violence closer, implying that each day carries loss or confrontation with mortality. Which can also take a toll on the relationship.
I also notice the phrase “battle bruised.” It makes the partner’s pain feel physical, as if the war outside has left marks on their body and spirit. But even with all that, the Moraga ends with “refusing our enemy, fear.” To me, that’s the most important part. It means that loving each other, even when it’s risky and uncertain, is an act of resistance. Fear is the real enemy, and choosing love is how they fight back.
I like your analysis of love as an act of resistance in this text. I see a connection between Moraga’s relationship with others as “loving in the war years” and Eli Clare’s relationship with himself in “Exile and Pride.” They suggest a connection between queer self-love and queer relationships, both painted as acts of resistance shaped by violence and uncertainty. I wonder if thinking through both of these concepts, along with the ways the “risk” of both of them differ might lead to insights about Moraga’s analysis of queer love.