What I Do Not Love About You...

An unlove poem

A gentleman in the bakery

          with a racing form in the back pocket

          of his faded jeans

 

stopped me short

 

And simple recollections gathered

behind my dry-out-in-public eyes

 

~ Sunday morning diner breakfasts

~ silly songs you’d sing

~ dancing to Daddy’s Little Girl

 

Warmed on this cold autumn morning

          to the point of burn

 

I loved everything about you, but

 

…I do not love

          missing you…

Reviews

[Eddie Phillips]

Awww. Rita you trapped me. LOL I went into this poem thinking it would be something else from the title and came away from it connecting on the feeling of absence and loss. Bravo! I felt this poem. It reminded me of things that have happened recently in my own life. Great job on this poem.

[Rita L. Sev]

Thank you, Eddie - sorry for the trap, but I am happy this resonated. Absence and loss are so hard, but we are always connected...

[Azure Montessa (Blue)]

And simple recollections gathered
behind my dry-out-in-public eyes

and

Warmed on this cold autumn morning
to the point of burn

are my favorite lines. The end does not disappoint. It echoes with dreamy wishes and longing. I feel the words to my core. Lovely penned. :)

[Rita L. Sev]

Thank you so much, Blue. This is not my usual style, but was from the heart... I appreciate your words!

[rutherford]

Wonderful build up of the immediate physical to the memories and the clever ending.

[Rita L. Sev]

Thank you, John

[Anand Sehgal]

I loved everything about you, but



…I do not love

missing you…

that's warm and sweet. A piece with great personal touches :) Loved it.

[Rita L. Sev]

Thank you, Anand, for your kind words.

[Tom]

Absence makes the heart grow fonder !

A terrific sentimental poem !

[Rita L. Sev]

Thank you, Tom!

[Epipsychologist]

This is an interesting poem. I like how the poem kind of belies its title, and how the loving memories aren't typically thought of as attractive attributes. They suggest the love interest is happily poor, but in a charming way.

Nicely written.

[Rita L. Sev]

Thank you, Epipsych. Funny, you have hit on something - this is about my father, a man who was charming, happy, and working-class. My memories of him (and the things that bring him to mind) are simple and distinctly "ours".

[Epipsychologist]

I'm glad I had a good read, you provided me with it :)

[Michael G. Smith]

I relate to those moments where unexpectedly something triggers past memories.

[Rita L. Sev]

Yes, and though they are wonderful memories, the ache of missing is sharp...

[NeiL ArandA]

SteveB has a keen perception . I couldn't figure out what is loved but not missed ? You are really great poets. I still got a lot to learn . What a wonderful piece here Rita . You changed your mood and genre with this piece.

[Rita L. Sev]

Thank you so much, Neil. I don't often go to the melancholy, but when I do, it's usually about my father, whom I lost ten years ago. I see him in these day-to-day moments...

[NeiL ArandA]

That was so sweet of you . You must be a daddy's girl .

[SteveB]

An un-Rita piece but still magnificent. You boiled down the essense of the moment and without mentioning your father made his spirit clear as crystal. I enjoyed the simple unadorned wording here. Ech memory concrete and boiled down to its essense.
Brava Rita!

[Rita L. Sev]

Thank you so much, Steve. Your review brought tears; I appreciate the fact that you saw him here...

[Cassie]

such a nice ending. I enjoyed reading

[Rita L. Sev]

Thank you, Cassie.