a collection of poetry on love
LOVE INSISTS
by sheniel brown
For by best friend.
I love you forever.
Pages of Content
Refusingto fold myself into digestible silence —even for my own comfort is mybravest act of love.
Allthis, Whiletheworld insists onbeinglazy aboutLove.
Asifthere’sanythingbetter todo here.
WhatIloveaboutLoveis,
Howthereisalwaysmorelefttogive.
Evenwhenyou’resoconvinced “...thatmustbeallofit”
Until,
Youstumbleuponamine inamoment—
Intheearliestraysofthisborrowedday,
Becauseofthatthingyouglimpsed whileonyourway.
Handinhandwithhim. Smilingbackather.
It’sitsalwaysandforever.
Howtherecanneverreallybe toomuch, but justalittlebit caneasilybe justenough.
Aftereveryuglytruth youlearned, youstayed.
Thankfulforthequietwork mybodydoes tokeepmehere withyou.
I’vemademyheartready foreverygentlething.
Ilove insidejokes, secondhandlaughter, conversationsaboutnothingthatfeelslikeeverything, “thisremindedmeofyou”, theintimacyofan “iknowyoudo”.
Vulnerability is my love language.
ifIcouldmissyouquietly myteawouldn'tgocold
IrecognizeGod ineverything, Denialwouldbedelusional.
risebeforethesun, breatheinsilenceuntiltheearlybirdsings smile.
Thankyouforlingering, andlistening, and makinghealinglesslonely.
mytruth andmylies arenosecretfromyou morethanbeingseen isbeingseethrough
alovethatiscurious andeagertolearnyou
alovethatsteadiesyourheart
thatisareminderoftruth
alovethatisagentlereflection youcanfileundersafe
alovethatleadsyouhome alovewellworththewait. Ihopethisfindsyouwell
Reminder that there is more of you to remember and realize.
whyallowyourself toaccept anythinglessthanlove fromthislife?
mundane thereisalwaysmorelovetofind inlittlethings
Honey? You’rehome.
I’mhome. YourHome.
wheneverwegetcloselikethis Iimaginethisisthecauseandeffectofeverything
youhavehandsbecauseminefit yourlipsexistformetokiss
thehairsonyourarmsgrowjustlikethat onlyformetofrolicinwithmyfingertips
whenlifelendsyoulove
you’veleftmyheartopenandempty yourabsenceechoes endlessly
yousaymyname asif
Iamsomethingtobesavored bitbybit sipbysip
Iknow there’snoflavorthatyoumiss
For everyhurt that returns into the unknown, leaving sweet healingbehind.
Listofthingsmyheartcantlivewithout: Dateswiththesunset
Conversationssteepedincompassion
HugsthatwhisperWelcomeHome feelingseen andheard andfelt andknown.
I’llknowLovehasfoundme
Whenheresemblesthe LoveofGod
Whenhispresencefeelslike peace,
Hispatience,promised.
Whenhiseyescanseemyheart
AndIamgiftedmoregrace eachmorning
Yet, Howcomfortingitis
thatatatimelikenow Inaplacelikethis
Beautyabounds and Loveinsists
In a world full of platitudes and wasted words — being able to reach for inside jokes and anecdotes that are decades old is a hidden pleasure I cannot thank my best friend for enough.
Letgo,love...
Lovedoesnotneedyourhelp
Showmeyourmostsacredscars Iwanttohearyouboast
Howyoubroke andbled andlived andlearn wheremykissesmattermost
Ipraythatheartbreak onlychangesyouforthebetter thatyourwholesoulstays intact
Thatyouwon’tstraysofarfrom yourself
Youfightto findyourwayback
Iprayyourdreamsstayaliveandwell andpurposewithinreach andonaTuesdayafternoon yousee itwasonlyheretoteach
don’texpectmetobealive andnotinlove
(itisalli’mwilledtodo)
withwildflowers howtherainshowers andspenthours
withyou
The tiny yellow and purple flowers overtaking the sidewalks is the kind of gift
I never want to get used to ignoring. No matter what else is happening here.
I’llforgiveuntiltheresonly Loveleft That Iknowwhattodowith.
LoveAlone
Reciteme, That’sintimacy. showmeyou’rewellread inthewaysofmymind thewhimsofmyheart ...everywordI’veneversaid.
Buthowentirelyunravellingitis tobemetwithpersistentcompassion andofferedasoftenoughspace toreturn andretire andremain Undone
Remindertoallowyourinhaletofillyouup
Toyourfingertips
Youdonothavetoearnthis
Itisagift
Youdeserveit
AndevenifwearenotonsamesideofEarth whentheflowersbloom, thatwouldntchange Ibreathe youbreathe OneSun SameMoon
Here’stothehappenings thatbreakyourheartopen alittlebitmorethanbefore
thankfulforachesthatturnedinto art.
andpainsthatpaidaprice.
gratefulbreaksthathumbledmyheart.
nightmaresthatenlightenedmynights.
regretthatrefinesmyreason scarssinceretomyfight lossledbyalesson fearsthatsteeredmeright
thisloneliness ofcourse thathurriesmehome mistakes thatgraduatemymind foreveryhurtthatreturns intotheunknown leavingsweethealingbehind
Thankful for aches that turned into art
Tobelovedlikethis
Everybreathdelivered ExactlywhenIneedit
IfIeverlovedyou myheartforeverknowsyourname lie orleave orloseyourway
Iloveyouallthesame
Thereispresenceinthispace Apromisetuckedineverytouch
I’velearnedalovethatlistensandwaits isbetterthananythingrushed
HelloStranger
nowIknowIknewyou thedayoureyesfirstmet
nowIknowIneedyou tillmyfinalbreath
thatalovecouldbloominmyownbelly bringingblessingsandbeautyfrombeyondtheworldI know
Igettoguideherandwatchhergrow
itsthewayyounoticedIwaswilting andledme closertoanopenwindow sothelightcouldfindmeagain
Love all ways, always
author nevertheless, love is everywhere.