What is Love?

[Magenta]

I am new here, having just joined earlier today I am a born again believer since 2004; the following poem I wrote in 1988.


I'm so confused
What did I do?
The Bible says I'm evil.
Have I lived most of my life
In the grips of the devil?

Why was this?
I think I know:
Insecurity had me in it's throes.
Love I was afraid to show
And so I lived in darkness.

But what is evil?
Self esteem?
Following your heart-felt dreams?

Surely God on glorious high
Takes no delight to see me cry.

His love for me I must believe
Because of Him we were conceived;
Love is where I long to be
And so live in His likeness.

But what is love?
Does anyone know
Just what it is
We're supposed to show?

What kind?
How much?
Where does it go?
Who determines our love's flow?

Are we really in control
When sitting at the wheel?
For reason still eludes me
When I think on how I feel.

Are we the same?
Are we to blame?
What forces shape our lives?

Science looks for answers
While our spirits we deprive.

 

[Magenta]

*
The present is too pressing
Somehow I must escape
The barren arid dreariness
Of love's lost hope landscape

The landmarks seem familiar
Though viewed as through a haze
For I have been here times before
In younger carefree days

Yonder see the quicksand
Where my élan now drowns
Careful lest you get too close
Its boundaries are unknown

The shiftless sands of time are there
Awaiting my mis-step
Its placid grey indifference
Belie the perilous depths

Devoid horizons crouch to swell
The searing grit that blasts
The tumbleweeds of haloed dreams
We dug up from the past

But look! A cactus flower
How soft and sweet its leaves
Of blood red blending into pinks
And white of purity

I've caressed these blossoms and
Have showered them with tears
Inhaled their fragrant rare essence
Because your face they mirrored

Now embracing spiny thorns
They sting and injure me
My mind reels from the poison
Still my heart I cannot free

Written by Magenta in 1988

 

[oldethennew]

so very beautifully expressed, gifted to say the least...

 

[Magenta]

*
I tried to shield this heart from love
To spare myself the pain
Forlorn indeed I fell
And this endeavor wrought my shame

Because I could not face the depth
Of feelings you inspired
I ran away
How could I know
I'd burn in hell's vile fires?

I tried to pick the pieces up
. Abyssmal
. . . Broken
. .. . . Charred
A semblance of normality
I worked for very hard

Thusly mired I struggled
Both to end and attain flight
Striving to excise the wound
And cease my despaired plight

But always irrevocably
Your image came to bear
My being strained to fill the void
With love I could not share

Ever present buried deep
Within my tortured soul
My love lay pining hidden from
A world which seemed so cold

How could I have so erred in life
To plainly lose my way
Ignoring my emotive will
Keeping my self at bay

By thinking I'd be happy
In fulfilling others' hearts
Relentless death crept on me
And eclipsed my vital spark

Written by Magenta in 1988

 

[notmyown]

Surely God on glorious high
Takes no delight to see me cry.

You have taken account of my wanderings; Put my tears in Your bottle. Are they not in Your book? (Ps 56:8)

this has comforted me times beyond counting. ♥

 

[oldethennew]

your heart's desire to understand His Love and feel His Holy Sacrifice,
and then yearn how to live and walk it...

 

[Magenta]

*
Time slips in and fades away
To memories of yesterdays'
Monumental moments moving
Melting through my mind
Emotions thrashing
Wrestling motion
Whilst I crash through time.

Illustrious illusions shatter
.Shimmer
Sheltering a dream
As time moves on
To make its mark
That's never as it seems.

 

[oldethennew]

AMEN!
========================================================

 

[Lenardzw]

*
I tried to shield this heart from love
To spare myself the pain
Forlorn indeed I fell
And this endeavor wrought my shame

Because I could not face the depth
Of feelings you inspired
I ran away
How could I know
I'd burn in hell's vile fires?

I tried to pick the pieces up
. Abyssmal
. . . Broken
. .. . . Charred
A semblance of normality
I worked for very hard

Thusly mired I struggled
Both to end and attain flight
Striving to excise the wound
And cease my despaired plight

But always irrevocably
Your image came to bear
My being strained to fill the void
With love I could not share

Ever present buried deep
Within my tortured soul
My love lay pining hidden from
A world which seemed so cold

How could I have so erred in life
To plainly lose my way
Ignoring my emotive will
Keeping my self at bay

By thinking I'd be happy
In fulfilling others' hearts
Relentless death crept on me
And eclipsed my vital spark

Written by Magenta in 1988

Wow! #speechless

 

[Magenta]

*
I stood before you
Stipped of the last lingering vestiges
Of dignity and grace
Which were my youth and innocence
Gone!
To shield me no more

Am I safe?

I have seen the dark
Did see into the darkness and
Could not run from myself
In the mockingly hideous face of fear
Whose goading grins
Of loathing and pity
So shamed me into believing
That it was I that I saw
Reflected

In wretched words
Whose cold reverbs
Shall battle and wrest
Til the core of my breast
Lay asunder
Unanswered
Nor stilled by pain's ambush
In ebbing retreat

Written by Magenta

 

[Magenta]

Stipped? *inwardly cringes* It was supposed to be "stripped."

 

[Magenta]

*
Spider weaves his web and waits
In watchful wary silence
The prey's in sight
And coming closer
He can almost taste it

Victory is his he knows
For he can bide his time
He knows revenge is sweet
When there's a victim on the line

And wait he has
So long he's had to wait
To claim this trophy

Wove endless rays
Of welcoming warmth
With which to trap his quarry

There's no escaping
Once you're fixed
On flaxen filaments

Of wordless waxing wondrous wires
Wrapped 'round your heart's content

Silken soothing Oh! so smooth
And sumptuous are the strings
That draw me ever onward
To the font of my love's spring

Enraptured creature hypnotised
'Neath Spider's guarded gaze
Caught up beyond redemption
In this most mysterious maze

Spider contemplates his ploy
How best to recompense?

Suspended wearied waiting too
The bloodshed shall commence

Written by Magenta

 

[Galatea]

*
Spider weaves his web and waits
In watchful wary silence
The prey's in sight
And coming closer
He can almost taste it

Victory is his he knows
For he can bide his time
He knows revenge is sweet
When there's a victim on the line

And wait he has
So long he's had to wait
To claim this trophy

Wove endless rays
Of welcoming warmth
With which to trap his quarry

There's no escaping
Once you're fixed
On flaxen filaments

Of wordless waxing wondrous wires
Wrapped 'round your heart's content

Silken soothing Oh! so smooth
And sumptuous are the strings
That draw me ever onward
To the font of my love's spring

Enraptured creature hypnotised
'Neath Spider's guarded gaze
Caught up beyond redemption
In this most mysterious maze

Spider contemplates his ploy
How best to recompense?

Suspended wearied waiting too
The bloodshed shall commence

Written by Magenta

This one is scary.

 

[WineRose]

*Looks at title*

Baby don't hurt me, don't hurt me, no more...

...Anyway...that's some good stuff. Amen.

 

[lettucepray]

*Looks at title*

Baby don't hurt me, don't hurt me, no more...

...Anyway...that's some good stuff. Amen.

You stole my words!!!!!

 

[Wild]

[video=youtube;HEXWRTEbj1I]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEXWRTEbj1I[/video]

*Looks at title*

Baby don't hurt me, don't hurt me, no more...

...Anyway...that's some good stuff. Amen.

 

[notmyown]

Stipped? *inwardly cringes* It was supposed to be "stripped."

which is exactly how i read it.

typo queen, i make 'em and i read 'em. lol

 

[Absolem]

I am new here, having just joined earlier today I am a born again believer since 2004; the following poem I wrote in 1988.


I'm so confused
What did I do?
The Bible says I'm evil.
Have I lived most of my life
In the grips of the devil?
interesting start and rhyme scheme gere . it works
Why was this?
I think I know:
Insecurity had me in it's throes.
Love I was afraid to show
And so I lived in darkness.
love the three rhymes and then the final line without a rhyme. Really adds umph
But what is evil?
Self esteem?
Following your heart-felt dreams?

Surely God on glorious high
Takes no delight to see me cry.

His love for me I must believe
Because of Him we were conceived;
Love is where I long to be
And so live in His likeness.
same scheme as before. Well done
But what is love?
Does anyone know
Just what it is
We're supposed to show?
great lines here. Flows well
What kind?
How much?
Where does it go?
Who determines our love's flow?
I'd rework this. Rhyme is too cliche and sounds forced
Are we really in control
When sitting at the wheel?
For reason still eludes me
When I think on how I feel.
great lines
Are we the same?
Are we to blame?
What forces shape our lives?

Science looks for answers
While our spirits we deprive.

I enjoyed your poem. Looking forward to seeing more by you. God bless!

 

[AndTheWordWasGOD]

It's very obvious that you have been blessed with an extreme talent and deep emotional understanding. The LORD Jesus our King continue to direct you in His will unto His marvelous Kingdom to come!

God is Light and in Him is no darkness at all (1Jn 1:5); and yet in His greatness (that we might comprehend His righteousness *in my opinion which really doesn't matter much*) He has formed both the Light and the Darkness (Isa 45:7) in love. Blessed be God most High!

I've read every thing you've posted in this thread up through today 1/29/2017 and I am left with one question and one comment on the below lines you wrote.

*
Yonder see the quicksand
Where my élan now drowns
Careful lest you get too close
Its boundaries are unknown

Can you please elaborate just a little on élan in the line above? I don't want to assume it simply means enthusiasm; but if so, it is still masterfully worded.

The shiftless sands of time are there
Awaiting my mis-step
Its placid grey indifference
Belie the perilous depths

Written by Magenta in 1988

Seems like a nice portal alluding down through time resurfacing in the spider's web and the mystery of it's work that I think we can all relate to; though some can relate a little more than others. In this dimension where we have our being today, love seems to be both a blessing and a curse. Thank God for His Son Jesus Christ who has freed us from the curse, so that we can somewhat begin to love as He does!

Peace be unto you Magenta.

 

[Cretien]

one heart, one change.
put love out there and believe it's meant to be
if it does not, do it again, and again.

to know destiny is...1 destinty leads on to the next, and to the next, and so forth, then,when it's mean to be, both will know it's destiny.