Conversation in the Park

Conversation in the Park

A free verse poem about love.

    'Sitting on a park bench
        enjoying a cool breeze. Old lady came up
            sat down and looked at me straight in the eye
                    asked me what is love? Pondered about it
                after a while 'thoughtfully replied love is joy.
    Love is that thing that makes you
        smile when you wake up. It's what makes
            your day so bright and joyous. Love makes you
                    desire nothing but the best.
                She raised an eyebrow
                    asked me again what is love? 'Glanced at her
                and thought over it again. 'Replied love is misery.
    Love brings end and destruction to all
        its victims and tears people apart. It gives birth
            to all the evils. Jealousy, Lust, Envy,
                    Vanity and more of Pandora's kind.
                She raised an eyebrow
                    asked me again. 'Got annoyed and all
                but tried again. 'Asked love is just love?
    Love has no origin but from the inner soul. It has
        no fixed form of expression but that dictated
            from the heart. It has no defense
                    but the natural greed and desire within.
                She smiled a toothless grin
                    and murmured love is a gift.
    Love is not distributed but passed down
        from loved one to another. It may
            not satisfy all but it does most. Love has
                    its consequences that the heart,
                soul and mind choose to take
                    for as long as they live.
    She smiled her toothless grin
        handed me a worn and folded
            paper napkin and went on her way. Thought
                    for a moment or two more and
                opened up the napkin. I held a bundle
                    of old dried rose petals aged with
    tears and smiles and dreams and the
        great gift called Love.
            And I was enlightened.

Okay I know that I have sworn off most poetry and that the section is titled "Essays" but I really love this poem I wrote for Philosophy as an assignment. I dedicated it to a 'P' and I sure hope he knows that it's him I speak of. The poem has all the definitions and expectations of love that I have carried throughout my life, and the ideals that many people have about love and romance.

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