damned fruit

humans are truly the cruelest 

creatures on the earth-

after all, isn’t love the most 

basic human emotion? 

we will destroy ourselves and 

it will be the most human 

thing we could ever do. 

    - we were damned long before she bit that apple 

Reviews

[JayG]

• we were damned long before she bit that apple

Wasn't an apple. read the text.

• humans are truly the cruelest creatures on the earth-

Not by a mile. Undercutting that, is the fact that humans are also kind, thoughtful, helpful, and more. Get near an alligator, a bear, a lion, a... on the other hand, and... Some might see that as cruelty.

• after all, isn’t love the most basic human emotion?

the most basic emotion? Absolutely not. Perhaps you've not heard of self-preservation? Fear? Anger, hate and the rest?

In any case, "love" is an abstract term with many meanings. You can "love" food. Is that the same as to "love" reading? Does that relate to loving your children? And how about Eros (passionate love), Pragma (enduring love), Ludus (playful love), Agape (universal love), Philia (deep friendship), Philautia (self-love), Storge (familial love), and, Mania (obsessive love)? You didn't specify which you meant, but must.

The one thing we can't do in writing is to say, "You know what I mean," because the reader isn't you, and has no access to your intent.

But then, if it was easy, they wouldn't pay poets such the big bucks, right?

[ghosti]

You're right- it was not an apple. It was a fruit, and some even consider it a euphemism for sex. But we will go with fruit- which oh! Apple is a fruit, and honestly, most artists portray it as such.

And yes, love is general word. But! Agape, the word used directly to describe God, is a form of love. And Love (or the ability to have "uncoditional love") is generally considered a human trait directly passed down from God, as we are "made in his image".

And again, you are right in saying readers do not intent. However, for that exact reason, I leave most of my works intentionally vague and metaphorical- as that is how I find most poetry to be.

Thank you for your criticism.

[JayG]

• vague and metaphorical

In that case, here is the perfect poem:

The...

It leaves the reader perfect freedom to imagine. It's not mine, thought, i copied it.

People read poetry to borrow your imagination, remember, not for writing prompts.