A Reluctant Love Song

A Reluctant Love Song

Do I love you?

Yes, I do.

Then again, maybe I don’t.

Why insist that I reply

when you know I won’t?

Sometimes,

when the horizon beckons

I wish I’d take this road alone.

Don’t take offence,

but lately it’s been clear

that I prefer

the measured tread of my earth-weary feet

to our half-hearted jabs

at walking arms entwined,

unsteadily in night-drenched streets -

our tragicomic try

at having an affair.

At other times, I’m not so sure.

For instance, when you turn your head just so,

and suddenly

your auburn hair distils the morning light.

My heart and time stand still

as splinters of diffracted dawn

dispel my doubts.

It’s then I tell myself this must be Love,

unbidden Love.

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The original version of this poem was written in 2013 for an online poetry competition organised by Mark Forsyth (author of The Elements of Eloquence), placing second. The challenge was to write a poem using three types of rhetoric - hypophora, syllepsis and diacope.  At the time, I knew what these terms meant.  I'm afraid I no longer do. I'm still quite happy with the result though and I thought I'd upload it for Valentine's Day.  The featured art - "The Look of Love" - is by Jack Vettriano.