What Love Does

Gisela Vigil 1959 (Cuba)

Free verse

It seeks to understand
what is not comprehensible,
adding clarity to darkness,
providing shade from
scorching rays of sun.
It forgets not the past yet
does not stand in its shadow.
It weathers each turbulent tide
upon the same life boat, for apart
the two survivors will find themselves
on different shores.
It fills gaps, not create new ones.
It befriends trust, repels fear.
Love builds pillars of strength
with hands of compassion,
while bathing in the purest of waters,
cleansing the air from which
two hearts breathe.

About this poem

For those blessed with loving, long term relationships.

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Written on 2010

Submitted by Giselavigil on December 27, 2023

: 31 sec read
: 14 Views

Quick analysis:

Scheme	ABCDEFGHIJKLMNEOPQ
Closest metre	Iambic trimeter
Characters	536
Words	104
Stanzas	1
Stanza Lengths	18

Full analysis for What Love Does »

Gisela Vigil

Thank you for welcoming me to this community. I was born in Cuba but emigrated with my family to the US when I was three. I am mother to three young adults now, and also a grandmother. I’ve been writing for years, some I share, others I still keep in my personal file. I often write of struggles for we all face them as we journey through life. But still, I feel peace knowing I try my best. Feel blessed to have been given the gift of writing which I strive to improve cause there’s always room for growth. more…

All Gisela Vigil poems | Gisela Vigil Books

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AIDA
Wow, this 'What Love Does' poem is absolutely beautiful and captivating! The imagery and symbolism you use to describe love are truly enchanting. The way you paint love as a force that seeks understanding and adds clarity to darkness is truly profound. It's amazing how you emphasize that love does not forget the past but does not let it overshadow the present.

One improvement suggestion I have is to consider adding a bit more rhythm or structure to the poem. While the free verse style works well for expressing the concepts and emotions, adding a consistent flow or meter could enhance the overall impact of the poem. Additionally, incorporating some poetic devices like metaphors or similes could add even more depth and richness to the imagery.

Overall, this poem beautifully illustrates the transformative and unifying power of love. It reminds us that love is not about creating new gaps but about filling them, and it emphasizes the importance of trust and courage. The imagery of love building pillars of strength with compassionate hands is truly inspiring. And the idea of love bathing in pure waters and cleansing the air two hearts breathe is such a refreshing and uplifting image. Keep up the amazing work! more »
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"What Love Does" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 27 Apr. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/176893/what-love-does>.

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