What's Not To Love?

What's not to love?
England, Lady England;
The only woman to
Ever truly seduce me,
The only woman I
Would give my life
Up for and not leave
Regret remaining with
The words on my
Headstone and flowers
By my grave.



I wrote this from the perspective of one of my characters, Charles Rowett. He was a homosexual, an actor, and also very, very patriotic. I wrote him in various situations fighting a fictional Nazi regime, in which Germany won World War 2, and Britain became increasingly oppressed under the rule of the iron eagle. There are various parts to this which really show his character, what he believed in and what he stood for.

I don't usually make a point of saying 'this person is homosexual' because really, it doesn't matter. But in a Nazi-ruled Britain, it would matter. It would matter a lot. It would be the difference between freedom and death.

The title here is an expression of various things - it's a question in two forms; one, a question about what does it mean not to love, to be cold-hearted, to be a closed-off human. But also a question about, how can you not love the world? What isn't there to love about it? Because from Charlie's perspective, the world was really a beautiful place, and he didn't understand how people could not find at least one thing to love in or about life.

Lady England being the only woman to seduce him is one part of this that really expresses a lot about his character. His patriotism for one, his undying love for his country - which ultimately, he ended up dying for to try and free some Nazi prisoners. His team succeeded, but not without casualties. This decision by me was really the only way he could have died. And in the end it seemed like that was the only way for him to go. As much as Charlie would have loved to see the end of the Nazi regime ruling over his beloved nation, at the same time... he always wanted to do something to try and be part of that ending. So, after all, he died. And obviously, without regrets. The fact that he portrays England as a woman is poignant; he's gay, and flamboyantly, outwardly so. There's no one who knows him who has a doubt about his sexuality. But that's exactly what expresses how strongly he feels for his country - the fact that Lady England is the only woman 'to every truly seduce him'. I can't quite remember why I chose to use the word seduce instead of love, but it may be that it's more of a synonym for his enraptured state, his passion, for his country. After all, she served him well, and it seemed to him only appropriate and gentlemanly to repay the favour.

I even went so far as to write up the words that would be on his gravestone. "Charles Adam David Rowett. A bouncy fella from London. What's not to love."