Three Poems: Romancing, Reminiscing, and Reflecting on a Relationship

After several attempts at working on a relationship with the intent of making it last, and to be the last, there were certain things that stood in the way.

Below are three poems, expressing three stages of a failed relationship.

The first poem is about the revival of a prior relationship as our paths once again crossed. Synchronicity brought us back together, if only for a short time, to grow closer together until the final departure.

The second poem evaluates the challenging relationship as it ends.

When we are deeply involved it’s difficult to see the forest for the trees, as the saying goes. However, once we are on the outside looking in, the mistakes become clear.

Finally, the third poem reviews the mistakes with the clarity of being alone once again. I describe how we were just working on the outer periphery of the relationship without concentrating on its inner core.

After a breakup for reasons unclear

Our paths once again cross and I see my dear.

It was unexpected with no thought involved.

But it opened communication for problems to be solved.

She told me she was leaving in a week to visit her family.

Without thinking I offered a ride to the airport merrily.

We both agreed to enjoy the week before her departure

With no heavy discussion and just some nurture.

We agreed that we’d talk a month later upon her return.

So we went with the flow and discovered much to learn.

We got to know each other more than before.

It's surely a feeling that may endure.

Unsure at first, then feelings develop

Craving for more and caring envelops

Attentive to her delicate cues although she may not have known

Accepting all differences and desiring a future sealed in stone

But she found one thing disparaging

and no longer was acknowledging

With futile team effort she wanted to be freed

Recognizing challenges and appreciating her need

Set free when requested only because of love

What more can I give with no sign from above

The past now cut off, leaving only fond memories

The future cut off too, without further discoveries

Only the present remains,

Heartbroken

What are we doing with this relationship?

Are we just here for the companionship?

Concentrating only on the periphery

leaves us eventually feeling jittery.

We haven’t focused on its inner core

although we’ve had a great rapport.

By avoiding what really mattered

we came to a state of feeling battered.

We missed out on developing a true experience

and bringing our relationship to actual deliverance.

If only we were able

to make our feelings stable

Knowing and understanding one another completely

would’ve helped discover mutual needs so sweetly.

Trust in the process

could’ve bound our hearts regardless.

This, I feel, is necessary to create a bond throughout

that cannot be broken by fear or by doubt.

This leaves me thinking of something Isaac Asimov said in his book Fantastic Voyage II: Destination Brain (1987):