what is love?

a brief analogy

love is a student, love is a teacher
the congregation and the preacher
a rusty nail in a brand new tire
the steam from water cast upon fire
love is a frown, love is a smile
a waste of time, an endeavor worthwhile
a slap on the bottom of a newborn child
strong and dangerous, meek and mild
love is forever, love is no more
a piece of candy in a hardware store
the mess you step in out in the yard
it's way too easy, it's too damned hard
love is an angel, love is a sinner
a crying loser and a laughing winner
the wrong turn into the right direction
utter chaos and perfection
love is a noise, love is a song
love is so right and so, so wrong
the shortest day, the longest night
deafness, blindness, hearing and sight
love is sorrow, love is bliss
the kiss of death and a passionate kiss
love is giving, the act of sharing
looking away and wantonly staring
love is a tunnel, love is a bridge
leftover chicken inside the fridge
the burn on the bacon, the sweet in the tea
a slave in shackles, a soul who is free
love is a child, afraid of the dark
an exclamation, a question mark
a sail full of wind on a dead-calm sea
a tropical forest, a naked tree
love is a rainbow with a pot of gold
the car on the lot that never gets sold
a courageous avenger wearing a mask
that important question you forgot to ask
love is a cure, a deadly disease
a man standing tall and a man on his knees
a badge of honor for an act of shame
love is so serious, love is a game
love is a question, love is an answer
a villain, a killer, a sweet romancer
the highest mountain covered with snow
being all dressed up with nowhere to go
love is safety, love is danger
love is love with a total stranger
being together, being alone
punishment for the punches you've thrown
love is real, love is fake
a burger and fries without a shake
love is getting her home before dawn
and helping her put her panties back on
love is confusion, absolute clarity
allowing sex as an act of charity
complete disclosure without confessing
feigning no interest as your lover's undressing
love is serenity, love is panic
feeling saintly while behaving satanic
a horrible nightmare, a wonderful dream
a bowl full of peaches without any cream
love is a b*****d, a beautiful son
knowing you've lost, knowing you've won
a taste of forever, a flash in the pan
believing you can't while believing you can
love is dog s**t, love is a flower
a beautiful princess in an ivory tower
the charming prince, the villain in black
the boomerang that won't come back
love is a whisper, love is a shout
a lick and a promise, a flicker of doubt
the light from a candle, a darkened room
feeling salvation and impending doom
love is acceptance, love is denial
the unquestioned verdict preceding the trial
throwing our coins in the wishing well
we make it our heaven, make it our hell
love is lamb chops without mint jelly
rubbing a puppy on his belly
nacho chips after you've run out of cheese
jumping into the fire only to freeze
love is a promise, love is a lie
giving freely without asking why
a beautiful painting, a stain on the wall
the shadowy figure at the end of the hall
love is together, love is apart
love is the break in your still beating heart
call it lucidity, call it insane
do you have the courage to call it by name?
love is not owning, love is possession
love is pursuing your fondest obsession
unbridled emotion, incessantly sought
it can't be borrowed, can't be bought
the start of a journey, the end of the line
a blind intersection with no warning sign
it can't be bargained, never beaten
that pie in the oven, forgotten, uneaten
love is a nuisance, a fly on the wall
a t**d in the punchbowl at a fancy dress ball
an act of contrition, a cruel twist of fate
the cavalry arriving one hour too late
love is salvation, love is sweet bliss
a succulent virgin, that first tender kiss
the promise of passion, fulfillment of joy
desire, expectation...oh, how they annoy!
love is the music you feel in your heart
the song never written for lack of a start
an opera unfinished, a symphony dark
the fire won't burn if you don't feed the spark
love is an ocean, an infinite sky
we learn how to swim, learn how to fly
it's gratification, relentless remorse
we can't ride in the saddle without mounting the horse
love has no agenda, no limits, no pride
it can't be released if kept locked inside
if love is not given it won't be received
for love to have substance it must be believed
love is a curse, love is a prayer
love is a savior, love is a slayer
a ritual practiced by all of mankind
the answer to emptiness few ever find
love is hate, love is love
a vicious hawk and a peaceful dove
love is poor, love is rich
ain't love grand? ain't love a b***h?

Reviews

[realmwriter]

Love is everything we ever wanted and nothing we ever had
love is a child laughing and giggling at their funny dad
love is the beginning and the end of a relationship that had to begin
love is the one emotion we cant get enough of and confuse for fear
love is puppy the size of an iphone love is the deftone, a sleep, a wink, and a nod
love is being lost and knowing where you are
Love is the brink of blowing up your car

I really like this piece. It flows very well and the metaphors are well thought out. I also really like all of the opposites you use as it often felt in exactly that way.

[quinfinn]

you are a writing genius, and should write your own "what is love" poem....this is superb ...thank you!

[realmwriter]

I actually have just don't remember the title at the moment but it is somewhere in my list of writings...! Thank you very much quinn. You amaze us daily with your skill and talent. As far as I can see, it needs no polishing...

[quinfinn]

you are too kind, send me those r/r's....i am good for it.

[realmwriter]

I will do so my friend. I would ask the same of you but I am horrible at the rrs so if you would like me to read a piece of yours, as I would like to read them. Inbox me and I'll get right on it...! Thank you

[quinfinn]

no problem

[Souladareatease]

You are a Monster---that is meant in the nice way of course---excellent freakin' write Quin!!!!!!!
I have dug through Your past writes...but obviously I need to do this more OFTEN..(should have known-MANY hidden gems) I saw this pop up on the screen because another had read it---It is EXCELLENCE supreme...I put this in the library of favorites--its a little place down the street that is also a school--Thanks Headmaster-Awesome Pen!!!

[quinfinn]

when i was a kid we had to walk five miles, uphill, in the snow, to get to that library...and then five miles uphill back home...in a blizzard. thanks, S!

[Souladareatease]

:) we had a library that was an old trailer...not as many miles...but it felt it...blisters on me feets :)

[Arabdha]

woah ! I read this twice...and this may be one of the best poems I have read so far...you have absolutely outdone yourself !!
"love is a curse, love is a prayer
love is a savior, love is a slayer"
love every one of the lines....and absolutely in awe of the fine nuances that you've observed and penned down ! I could never do that-not on love anyway :-P
..and this isn't the regular mushy love poem you read...it depicts both sides of the coin with equal flamboyance...I'm adding it to my favorites

[quinfinn]

awesomeness! thank you, my friend.....

[Astro]

Quite an amazing Quin-tessential piece my good friend. The ending was completely unsuspecting to most but to those of us lucky enough to be familiar with your humor, priceless. Great use of descriptions in comparative perspectives all very easily interpreted and a good representation of the elusiveness and many faceted qualities of 'Love'.

[quinfinn]

wow, what a cool review, thank you!

[Astro]

You're most welcome.

[Thomas Fitzgerald]

No punches were held in this piece, it makes one think on times in love and hate and everything inbetween, well done, good read.

[quinfinn]

bless you, Thomas

[OBWhiteHawk]

Yes indeed, love is all these things. I am pretty sure you did not leave anything out! Great work.

[quinfinn]

thank you so much for stopping by

[Angi]

Oh Quin, this one says it all. Love is grand and love is a b***h! I have been married for so long...sometimes it is rainbows and glitter, sometimes I want to smother him with a pillow. Ha! This one was long, but you wouldn't know it. I kept shaking my head, 'yes' and grinning all through. Nice! Angi~

[quinfinn]

thank you so much Angi

[Sarah Khalil]

Love is present, found in every crevice of life. You picked the perfect melody rhythm to carry me through this long, winding journey of a poem, but it didn't feel long at all - I could have gone on forever reading this. Thank you so much for the read request, for bringing this poem to my attention. It's wonderful in every sense of the word.

[quinfinn]

bless your lovely heart, dear poet, thank you...and do send me a request or two

[Sarah Khalil]

When I have more works up! :)

[Leslie Philibert]

great poem, full of emotion but never sentimental,sometimes funny. sometimes sad..what is love ? I don`t know, but I love this poem..

[quinfinn]

wow, thank you so much!

[TL Boehm]

Holy COW!
rubbing a puppy on his belly
nacho chips after you've run out of cheese

a piece of candy in a hardware store
the mess you step in out in the yard
it's way too easy, it's too damned hard

love is the music you feel in your heart
the song never written for lack of a start
an opera unfinished, a symphony dark
the fire won't burn if you don't feed the spark
love is an ocean, an infinite sky

love is getting her home before dawn
and helping her put her panties back on (this line made me chuckle)

There are just so many great lines in this work - every time I read it I find another.

Love ebbs and flows that's for sure. I've been married for OMG 23 years - sometimes its bliss and sometimes we want to shove each other in the trunk and dump each other off on the mesa somewhere - muzzled and duct taped.

a vicious hawk and a peaceful dove
love is poor, love is rich
ain't love grand? ain't love a b***h?

Yes, yes yes to all of the above.

[quinfinn]

Tammy, you have me smiling my a*s off here! this is a terrific review! thank you......

[jacob erin-cilberto]

a little long for my taste, but then it almost had to be to be all inclusive of what love is.


I think this is really creative...great parallels drawn in this.

[quinfinn]

i know it is lengthy...i actually trimmed it by about 20% before posting...thank you for reading