Why Poem by Maliba Ramatlhape

Why do we pursue with such fervour an emotion that can for a moment bring us so much joy and pleasure but has such propensity to hurt us, to destroy us and to kill our confidence?

Why do we crave to be in a state of mind so fleeting, where we get butterflies when we see our lover, and our heart skips a beat? A state of mind so confusing and unpredictable that is capable of eroding our self-esteem and making us question ourselves?

What is it about love, that we lose sight of our senses and our ability to reason, that we ignore the warning signs that would otherwise be clearly visible?

Is love a genuine emotion or is it a temporary addiction between two lovers, where they crave the other so intensely, such that one hour apart feels like days? An addiction with devastating withdrawal symptoms.

Why do we so persistently seek a place of uncertainty and doubt, risking to be so vulnerable and exposed? When will we stop following our hearts to this ugly place of mixed emotions and pain, and accept that maybe it was not meant to be?

When will we stop dreaming about happily ever after, and stop waiting for prince charming to sweep us off our feet.

When will I be content to be ME, with or without the elusive emotion called LOVE?

November 2016