In Sweetness And In Pain Poem by Leria Hawkins

Date: June 7,2023
By: Leria Hawkins

My love is no longer fire
No flames of rage and passion
But it remains, smoldering as embers
Enduring as I always said it would
It lingers in the slow burn of memories
A stormless glow, soft and simmering
Whispering in an air of sweetness and pain
Love doesn't own or consume me
It doesn't take my breath away
I'm at peace to no longer be its captive
A victim of need, and want, and raging desire
I have faced the wrath, endured much suffering
And survived the deep, dark fall
I made my way, crawled out the other side
Battered and scarred but not defeated
In time, I accepted its truths
Learned to live its limitations
Now I can take it from its hiding place
I often do, and I hold it close, for just a moment
Just long enough to remember the joyous feel of it
I've learned to feel its warmth, without the burn
To tolerate the sting, without falling into utter despair
But most importantly, I've learned when it's time to tuck it away
When it's time to let it fade back into the depths of my soul
Where it will once again lie dormant
Silent, sleeping, at peace in its solitude
Where it remains with me
Until tomorrow, until next year
Where it will remain with me
Forever…

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Copyright © 2023 Leria Hawkins, All Rights Reserved