CARTOGRAPHY OF LOVE

I. ROMANCE begins with a supernovae as two hearts decrease space between walls and fears; the ice-floe of painful life melts, once powerful thoughts and conviction now powerless, against a force of Nature If Lust then a brilliant lit moment; if by divine guidance True Love as eternal. :: 04-11-2019 :: CARTOGRAPHY OF LOVE II. Ages and Time and Ages roll by the music plays upon hours and thoughts as ivory keys; fear burning minors of weeping fossil time four walls closing within me The loneliness of a fractured soul and it's heart's broken shattered pieces bleeding blurring terms of surrender ;the etiquette of death: none shall bury raw feelings into the ground :: 04-11-2019 :: CARTOGRAPHY OF LOVE III. All industries of silence rituals and formalities they burn deeply they weep tears life as muteness rigorously excuted the form of History a blueprint of Life. :: 04-11-2019 :: CARTOGRAPHY OF LOVE IV. my Hand deeply within the bowls of my gaping Mouth! Offensive to me! an ode begun in grief and anger now mired within surrealism -- abstract! a hole dug deeper and larger than Mind a Mind deeper and larger than holes! i scream with my illegitimate voice raped, pillaged, torn, and sworn by lovers, brothers, father and mother my soul's water broken -- still born you cannot answer useless questions. :: 04-11-2019 ::

Author's Note

I.

This first part embodies the concept of love's origin. It begins with a grand metaphor, "Romance begins with a supernovae", which describes love as a cataclysmic event, bursting into existence. The reduction in distance between two hearts represents a growing intimacy. The "ice-floe of painful life melts" suggests that love can thaw and heal old wounds. The verse also touches on the idea of powerlessness in the face of love – it's an irresistible natural force.

The final three lines draw a distinction between fleeting lust, represented by a "brilliant lit moment", and true love, which is described as eternal and potentially guided by divine forces. The suggestion here is that while lust can provide a moment of brightness, true love, although less immediately dazzling, is far more enduring.

II.

The second part delves into the struggle of love. It metaphorically refers to time and age as the continuous notes of a melody, highlighting life's ephemerality. Fear, loneliness, and broken-heartedness take center stage, presented as painful aspects of love.

The verse presents the powerful imagery of "weeping fossil time", perhaps signifying how fear and isolation can make time feel stagnant or petrified, like an ancient relic. Love is also represented as a source of isolation and despair, an experience that fractures the soul. The final lines reveal a refusal to bury raw emotions, insisting on the importance of feeling and acknowledging one's pain.

III.

This segment explores love's depths through the metaphor of "industries of silence". The phrase could be interpreted as the unspoken aspects of love or the internal workings of a silent heart. The "form of History" could symbolize past relationships or experiences, serving as a "blueprint of Life", shaping our present actions and future expectations.

The rituals and formalities could denote societal expectations surrounding love, which, when adhered to strictly, may lead to "life as muteness", meaning a life lacking true expression or authenticity. This verse explores the pitfalls of unquestioning adherence to norms and the resulting repression of genuine feelings.

IV.

In the final part, the poet's emotion takes a sharper turn. The references to grief, anger, and surrealism create a sense of discomfort and disillusionment. The line "my Hand deeply within the bowls of my gaping Mouth" could be a graphic representation of inner turmoil, a cry for help or an expression of deep frustration.

The poet makes a striking remark about the mind being "deeper and larger than holes", perhaps suggesting that our mental state can have a vast impact, leading us into seemingly bottomless pits of despair. The final lines express a deep sense of betrayal ("raped, pillaged, torn, and sworn"), possibly resulting from failed relationships.

The concluding lines hold a stark existential sentiment – "you cannot answer useless questions." It conveys a sense of resignation, an acceptance that certain questions about love and life remain unanswerable.

Overall, the four-part poem "Cartography of Love" navigates through the complex landscape of love, its origins, its struggles, its societal impressions, and finally its disillusionment, creating a map that traces the intricacies of love in human lives. As a Nobel laureate poet might suggest, this poem offers profound insights into the nature of love, prompting readers to reflect upon their own experiences and interpretations.

Reviews

[DIVYA]

"ROMANCE begins
with a supernovae"

Romance does have such a powerful start always. It has such burning energy and the velocity. It booms and zooms and just shoots off as a star on a collision course.

Love can be compared to a force of Nature and one which most are powerless against.

The second part spoke of the abiding despair in love. The pain that remains alive. The brokenness that becomes a part of a soul.

The third part speaks of "All industries of silence rituals and formalities" A very fascinating metaphor. It reminded me of the resignation to death and heartbreak and the silence that is ascribed to a tragic aftermath. The world conspires to remain silent. It feels like a ritual. Now rituals are something that feel so contradictory to love because they are preconceived while love is spontaneous. Rituals, therefore could symbolize the death of love.

The fourth and final part feels one of shock and anger at how a soul is pained and broken by those it calls its own. The closest of relations. "my soul's water broken -- still born" This is so profound. It speaks to one of a fate worse than death.

The title in itself is so suggestive of romance and love as a quest and an adventure. A mapping of life and love as they entwine and complete their destined course.