I speak to thee of Love ⁓ (imagery shared)

Prose Poetry (of thoughts, feelings, emotions spoken to an imaginary lover) something a little different from me … I hope it's okay.

   You are comfortable

   in a thin, loose cotton dress,

   on a soft-cushioned,

   white rattan chair,

   me cross-legged on the grass

   close in front of you …

   the way I sit

   when writing poetry.

"Now …

   I ask you to close your eyes,

   imagining us in this moment ~

   sitting calmly, relaxed, at ease,

and listen quietly ~

to my soft words."

The golden retriever, Sandy, laying 'longside us, too … we’re beside my pond

beneath the willow, where I daydream, contemplate, and compose poetry …

the breeze is warm and gentle, the sky clear blue, cattails dancing slowly

to a gentle wind’s rhythm, swaying rushes whispering their secrets,

and I begin to warmly, softly speak:

“In what I’m about to share with you, I am compelled by love.

"In my world ~

   in my mind, heart, and soul,

   in my entire being

   there is no limitation to love.

   Its variety, depth, place,

   or in how it is felt, born into being,

   and for every instance, circumstance,

   emotion, desire, need, and yearning ~

   on and on,

   there is a place for love to dwell,

   to breathe, to soar,

   to be felt and embraced ~

   Eternally,

   love is endless and indefinable;

   it cannot be contained by ideals,

   morals, religion, dogma, or philosophies …

   nor, can it be made to fit, to be contained

   into or constrained by

   systems or beliefs."

There will never be a limit to love, and everyone, anyone,

even animals like Sandy,

sitting and listening quietly there beside us, can possess, embrace,

and feel love

in her own ways, at any time, in any circumstance, for a moment,

a day, a week, a year, or a lifetime,

and no one can tell love when or how to come or when to go,

and certainly not how to feel it or how it should feel,

and what its effects should be.

"This is but a small part in

my feeling of love,

and there is endlessly more

I cannot convey by word,

and when I say, 'I love You,'

it is not contingent

or dependent

on your thoughts or beliefs,

but upon the essence,

the degree of how it touches

envelopes, and invites me

into its glorious realm.

With all my dedication

I shall keep it just as it is,

making sure that nothing

deprives me of it …

Besides,

I believe the heart decides

who it loves, in what ways,

and how deeply …

not you or I, nor anyone,

or anything else.

Simply put,

My Beautiful Darling,

I’ve no choice, but I can choose,

as can You,

not to share love’s compelling forces,

and to me, this is the worst,

most painful,

most devastating injustice

of them all;

nor, is it possible

that I control my dreams,

their content,

or who accompanies

me in them."

   I stand, lean over,

   cup your face gently in my hands,

   kiss your eyes, your cheeks,

   your mouth as softly, lovingly,

   and longingly as is possible for

tender, yearning lips to tell ~

what a heart can feel!

Richard W. Jenkins

©2017

Author's Note

Sometimes, the heart yearns to speak freely with its own voice, directing the mind and pen.

(picture courtesy Google Images)

Please, feel free to offer constructive critique or helpful comments. 😊

Reviews

[Angelheart1]

My dear Sir, you have allowed your heart to speak freely of Love through the words shared here. You have also painted a wonderful vision that brings the reader into the moment with you, as I found myself sitting in that white rattan chair with Sandy right there beside me and you sitting cross-legged before me while reading this very lovely piece of prose poetry. Thank you Sir for allowing me to read your special thoughts/words about Love, you are most kind. Angelheart

[Richard🖌]

Beautiful, AH!
Another wonderfully rendered review the site let slip by me without notice.read moreBeautiful, AH!
Another wonderfully rendered review the site let slip by me without notice.
Your wise, thoughtful, relatable words of love and enjoyment ring true, and when applied to this poem, truly spark a warming glow.

Thank you sincerely, Dear Poetess, ever-so warmly! ⁓ Richard : )

[Maria]

Wow, that was so lovely, no words, just praise, for such lovely work. Well done.

[Richard🖌]

Thank you, Maria, ever-so warmly and kindly.
When a lovely poetess comes strolling along and leaves such sweetly endearing sentiments on one of my poems, she should expect my warmest hug of gratitude. : )
My warmest hug to you, Dear Lady-Poet! ⁓ Richard

[Susan 🦋]

This is something different for you..regardless, another spectacular writing. Love poem or lovers heartache? or both? Oh the poetry is a splendid expression of loving another...and a sense of defending that love above all. Yet love in this world is contained by choices and beliefs and moral and religions..each one of these can "rationalize there opinions" as to why this is necessary in today's world. I believe TRUE love always overcomes and stays strong forever...a lifetime...eternity. Perhaps one can look back... and savor good memories...but to me,..that "love" was not meant to be. I'm a dreamer..with my head in the clouds...I believe in that perfect love...now, understanding this life is hard..and nothing is THAT easy..we live with choices we make. Ohhh but a part of me knows the heart wants what is wants! Leaves no explanation or understanding...simply feels and aches and longs for another.A soulmate?? Some missing part?? Idk. But when one's heart finds "that"...its relentlessly, beautifully, wonderfully fulfilled or left with a endless struggle. Really Richard!! it's kinda early still for the tears to be flowing!!!..Your poem pulls out every emotion I have.. even those I've buried away!!!

[Richard🖌]

Gosh, Susan Dear!
I really did not mean to dig up old wounds and make you cry, but I deeply understand the passion in a deeply feeling heart that loves to dance and sing within the yearning glow of love's embrace.
For me, though, without love, all else would be a rather hollow dependency to tie oneself to, and there would have to be something gripping me immensely hard, squeezing life away, to make me resist the primal, innate pull toward love's calling.
I don't think I've ever received such a passionately spoken review from you … it's almost as though you're having a philosophical debate with yourself, justifying why you should resist deep feeling of affection.
For a poetess of your obvious deep levels of feelings, this must be very tiresome, indeed.

Despite it all, I always feel a bright lift when i see your name as reviewer on one of my pieces, because I know there's going to be something genuinely special awaiting my eyes and hear to read, and you never disappoint … a big, warm thank you hug, Susan ⁓ Richard : )

[J. J. Nightingale]

Imaginary Lover...............hummm
I don't think anyone could write this from their imagination... It's too real, warm, and heart-full ..

I like this Richard, maybe more than any of your beautiful poems.....

.♥..

[Richard🖌]

Mm, Dear Jasmine!
Thank you ever-so warmly for sharing your lovely words, that speak softly to my core with such deep knowing and feeling.
You may be right, though, because it did feel wondrously real as it embraced and flowed through me, but truth be known, M'Lady, it is true to that which my lonely life dreams.

I dearly love your reviews … thank you truly and sincerely, Jasmine ⁓ Richard : )

[J. J. Nightingale]

You are welcome kind Sir..... ♥.....