“The Five Facets of Love” By J. Allyn Rosser

“The Five Facets of Love”

“The Five Facets of Love”

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A weekly poem, read by the author.
Feb. 28 2012 6:30 AM

“The Five Facets of Love”

Click the arrow on the audio player to hear J. Allyn Rosser read this poem. You can also download the recording or subscribe to Slate's Poetry Podcast on iTunes.

A mountain won’t grow dizzy
if it doesn’t look down.
The sun is stone blind;
the Hudson won’t drown.
This book cannot read
and the stars can’t steer.
My love is a hope
that my love will appear.

The sea can’t contain itself,
and sloshes on the shore.
The void cannot be purged.
The most can’t get more.
Our law has no conscience;
that ball cannot throw.
Oh how much I love him
my love must not know.

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Questions never wonder,
and danger has no fear.
The bullet feels nothing;
thunder can’t hear.
The rain can’t rise up
and the sky won’t lie down.
I cannot love this one
when that one’s around.

Grief knows no sadness;
knowledge can’t learn.
The breaths you’ve been taking
will not be returned.
Your absence won’t leave me,
your presence won’t stay.
My love may have faith,
but it won’t bow to pray.

Some pasts have no future,
the present has no door.
New love looks uncannily
like one that came before.
The dirt you dig up
will remember the hole.
Oh if my love’s the felon,
there will be no parole.

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