Intro/Disclaimer: There will be many who read this poem and say, “Red, you are wrong.” And they will give a variety of reasons to back them up. But I would wager the majority would argue from a point of view about what ‘love’ is, that is actually the reason why ‘love’ is so sad and also so very ugly these days. I do not claim to know what ‘love’ is. This poem is not meant to be my definition of ‘love’. But it is meant to challenge the conventional wisdom about male/female relationships and love.
A Challenge: can anyone write (from a real belief) me a poem that captures how women and men could relate that is actually equal (in everything), mutually respectful and supportive that is without the common, traditional values of women subordinate to men and or up on a pedestal? I do not think it is possible to write a ‘love’ poem that actually BREAKS with traditional morality (and that doesn’t promote an immoral love-fest). No this is not a contest. In fact, I believe that the fate of human society may in some ways depend on whether we can solve this man/woman relationship and what is called ‘love’.
Hope you enjoy the poem.
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“Don’t turn the light off and leave me in the dark.
Hey, I’m pleading, my soul is bleeding.
I don’t want to be left alone, not when I’m next to you.
~~”Enigma” by Trapt
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I wonder,
is there any way we could
return to innocense,
return to a time in our humanity
we didn’t know the meaning
or even have a word like ‘love’.
A place,
a time,
where there was no need to say
anything;
no need to philosophize
or speculate on, about, or
in anyway feel the need to verbalize and define
how you feel about someone close.
And being close brought joy, happiness.
Today there is far too much
sadness and ugliness being close,
it’s intertwined oft times subtly,
an in the normal day to day things.
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Baby, can we return to innocense
to a time when
an eye twinkles
and reflects in your smile;
the gentle way you touch,
holding my hand as we walk
and your warm breath
whispers in my ear
arouses my heart
and an irresistible desire
to get closer to you.
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Do you think we can ever
return to innocense.
To a time when
there was no question about
pulling together
and common goals.
We lived life gently
even as we huddle
against dangers and
the unknown.
But we saw each other
voluntarily giving
as part of a whole
and working side by side
recognizing what each
could bring, as our voices
joined in continuous song
and shouting our human continuity.
We were beautiful then.
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I wonder,
could we return to innocense
where we no longer think
or use
this word ‘LOVE’.
Today, there is way too much
sadness in love.