Light on adultery
We are not falling in love,
as love is an addition to light,
that falls out of the shadows,
the way a song is descending
with high and low tunes
or water colours is seeping
into a moist paper landscape
with branching-out veins,
that owe their brightness
to force of contrast rather
than to inherent strength.
Love falls out of the shadows
when we least expect it.
Only afterwards we try shedding light on it,
the precise moment, that shook us
in a breath, almost by chance,
when we knew.
We are not to blame, we say,
We’re mere catalysts imbibing scent,
transforming the lustre of someone’s
eyes and voice into food for the soul.
Whatever the damage, later, we see it
as an act of God, a flash of lightning.
when we knew,
in a breath, almost by chance
the precise moment that shook us.
Only afterwards we try shedding light on it.
When we least expect it,
love falls out of the shadows.
Today seems to be a day for reading poignant tales. This great poem could be taken as the personal thoughts of the betrayed spouse, or stand just as well as a description of just part of the pain that comes from actions of a wayward spouse. Whatever was the intention (probably both, I feel) the repeating lines at the end reinforce the whole tenet of this piece. I want to say that this poem has been written ‘delicately’, which can only be done when the initial anger and shock, and indeed loss, have had the edge taken off them by… Read more »
thank you Allen, you can read this on various levels. it is always interesting to me what my readers make of it…
Having read the poem again and again; and reading Allen’s comment; and finally – the tag: adultery, hidden love, love, I’m wandering – is there more than one way to read this work. On first reading, what I received was love – falling out of the shadows, as love being revealed from being hidden; but it could also mean love falling as in falling from grace? Or is it discovering the love (adulterous?) previously hidden, then suddenly in the light – and that not necessarily being a good thing? Whatever its inner meaning; it is (as usual) a delight to… Read more »
you are right, Dodge, several ways to interpret my poem. each reader sees something different, as we all are different depending on our life experience . I am so glad you like this controversial poem…
To me this poem is 110% about adultery but not the playboy/girl kind This poen eloquently describes the pain and guilt of falling for someone outside of a marriage or partnership. It also describes the way in which we justify the attraction as being impossible to ignore and the realisation in later years that there could have been a different way to deal with the problem which seemed so difficult at the time regardless of any fallout that occurred. This fabulously honest poem brought to mind the equally beautiful song ‘The Weakness in Me” by Joan Armatrading A song with… Read more »
Thank you, Guaj, you have come very close with your interpretation. and also thank you for making me aware of the lovely song by Joan Armatrading which i now listened to and also read the lyrics. I was not familiar with this great singer and now studied her life and success. it is always wonderful to learn new things.