Our relationship has had many twists and turns, but Claudia will always be the best friend I have ever had, the greatest love I've ever known, and the most magnificent spirit that I've ever encountered. That will never change.
FOR CLAUDIA
We always say the words "I love you"
aren't strong enough.
They aren't.
Sometimes an emotion is so strong,
words can't capture it.
The greatest poet can only come close.
Words can't express love, not really.
Words are tangible, feelings aren't.
But I am overwhelmed by my love for you.
So, like all the other fools
down through the ages,
I have to try . . .
I love you
like parched earth loves the rain
which awakens the seeds
deeply buried there,
dormant and forgotten,
gently urging them into blossom.
Thus, my hopes spring into life again
through the hardened soil
of my resignation.
That's how I love you.
I love you
like a homeless man
loves the first rays of the morning sun
after a cold night, uncovered.
I love you
like a soldier, who,
though scarred and bitter
from all he has seen,
hears the laughter of children
and laughs himself
forgetting it all
for that moment.
And sometimes I love you
the way a frightened child
loves the nightlight by his bed.
You have become the mirror of my soul.
You have inspired me to rise above myself
further than anyone ever has before.
You have reminded me that goodness exists,
not by lecturing or judging
but simply by being yourself,
the way a flower shares its beauty
effortlessly
with all who behold it.
So what does such a person do?
A person with a heart so full,
achingly full,
of compassion for the suffering?
A person whose spirit
overflows with generosity
like a natural spring;
A person who Jesus Christ Himself
would point to proudly and say,
"There. She knows what I meant.
Watch her and she will show you The Way."
What does such a person do?
The only thing she can imagine doing.
She becomes a nurse
so that she can do His work every day.
So that the sick, the infirm and the dying
can see Him in her eyes and be comforted.
So that those whom the world has forgotten
can know in their final days or moments
that somebody cared
and their last glimpse
of this tired and jaded world
will be of something good, sweet, untainted.
They will look into the eyes of a saint
and their passing will be lighter.
I know, you see.
These are not just words.
I know the works you are capable of.
I know the power you possess
in your eyes, your hands, your voice.
I know how fortunate
those in your care will be
because of the times
when you saved me from utter despair;
because of the times
when you helped me to my feet
after suffering injuries
that no x-ray could detect,
injuries of the spirit.
You helped me up
at the lowest moments of my life,
dusted me off, and guided me forward.
How do I thank you for doing nothing less
than reaching into hell and pulling me out?
Once again, words are not enough.
So I'll just say “I love you”
and hope you understand.
- Mark Rickerby
Author notes
Written April 14th, 2004
In a list
A contest entry
- A Special Somebody by Lonely.
300 points, ended November 7, 2004, 22 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
What did you think
Comments
1 - 28 of 28
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lonelysoldier,
Thanks for your response to this (last month!) I missed it somehow in the system. I appreciate your thoughts on it. This poem means a lot to me. Thanks again.
Mark
-
Hey,
I was just reading your wonderful response to this many moons ago and wanted to say thanks. I hope you're doing well these days.
Mark -
superior
whoa. its really weird cuz i just posted up a love poem on AP. Then i decided to read a "random" poem and this masterpiece came up. Oh my goodness you have just put into words.....my heart!
Wow, your good and hey, thank God for Claudia right cuz without her, this poem wouldnt have been written. OMG, im at a loss of words. Hey....Great no Awesome write.
Don't ever stop writing!!! -
I hope that in some way Claudia will come back to you, I know you miss her deeply and although I may not know the story or circumstances of the breakup, I truly believe that no matter what, love is stronger than any obstacle and if its meant to be, it will come back, or return the perhaps an even stronger relationship, for love never really dies.
Love You!
Sara
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Thanks, Michelle.
Everything you said is true. She's really something special, and I couldn't think poorly of her if my life depended on it. I appreciate and learn from your thoughtful comments very much. Thanks.
Mark -
exsquisite beauty
Mark,
Thank you for sharing this with me. While reading, I could feel my heart soften. I could feel all your passion and deep overwhelming love for Claudia. And as you are writing, becoming increasingly overwhelmed by being so overwhelmed. So in awe of this love are you! So surprised at the beauty this love posesses and so happy that it is you recieving it. I can feel your heart swell and pumping hard at every word, for they seem to just keep flowing, and there is so much more you want to say, but just can't find the words and if you did it would take up a thousand pages. I can tell that your world is brighter because of her. The scent of the roses stronger, colors are more vivid. In essence, you are utterly and completely consumed by the love you received and the love you gave and continue to give. It's beautiful Mark! A wonderful testimont to a wonderful love. I am happy to know that you still think so well of her. Most men don't,(some woman too I admit) when a love like this for whatever reason falter's. Most men try to surgically remove that part of their lives from their soul. They become angry and bitter with life. Again, thank you. ~Michelle~ -
A very smooth write
All in all this is a very smooth write with good tonal and flow control. Although I am not in any way an expert on free verse, this strikes me as very smooth.
With regard to the content, you make a wonderfully reasoned presentation of your love for Claudia. Your clarity if imagery is superior. On the other hand, I think I might have been looking to have my heart torn out after the introduction. That didn't happen, I suppose each of us approach forlorn love differently. -
excellent!!!!!!!!!!
okay, so now it looks like i'm a stalker of your poetry...but i'm really...i can't find the words to express how much i love the way you write. i haven't read such wonderful poetry in the longest time. i hope you can keep on writing as much as you possibly can, not just to amuse me
but to keep your spirit kindred and full of life and character!
-kayleeamanda -
Happy for you.
This piece gives me an idea. I think that from this day forward, everyone applying for a marriage license should have to write something (no copying) like this about their love for their bethrothed. I noticed simply me said that Love might just be one of the hardest emotions to express, but something tells me, regardless of what you said about trying, the feelings were there, strong and true and they probably ran onto the page. -
...this is just beautiful. Love might just be one of the hardest emotions to express but...you just did a beautiful job.
-
wow
Wow.
idanceanyway -
For someone that was having trouble getting just the right words out, you did a magnificient job of projecting. And then there are those times when absolutely no words are needed at all. And you realize a whole other side to what love is.
Love is stretching across the bed in the dark of the night,
Feeling your body at rest…sleeping.
Love is touching your skin ever so softly,
You then reach out and touch mine, you…still asleep.
Love is kissing your back softly and hugging you close to me,
Feeling your body moving even closer, asleep…still you respond.
I hope you have the opportunity to once again enjoy a love such as the one you once had. This was an exceptional piece!
-
Oh Mark... Have we one, yet all, slept with misery? Do we wake each morning to find misery lingering yet at our side? I mean this from the loss standpoint. A spear through the heart couldn't cause the pain that lost love brings. I've walked in your shoes Mark, and I feel your pain. You've expressed so carefully and passionately what so many feel, yet are unable to express.
Crawl back my spirit to childhood, where happiness I once knew.
Edited on Apr 26, 7:49 p.m. because 'Clarification'. -
Mark,
This is awesome. Your love shines through so strongly. Claudia is a very lucky woman to have you and your love. Never let go of that love. I did once and now that love is gone forever. Don't let that happen to you. You are a wonderful man and a very talented writer.
Write On!
Take care and God Bless,
Tammy
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Oh, this is a wonderful tribute to an honest sincere love. I hope Claudia appreciated this and maybe even open the door to the recovery of the relationship. Start buying her flowers..... take her for a walk on the beach..... maybe there is still hope.
Anyway, a solid well thought out write that will easily stand the test of time.
Don -
Words can't describe love, but your words here have described it in its full sense. To love and be grateful for this love is something very sublime that not everyone had or will experience in life. We may love 100 other times, but it will never be the same. A sentiment like this will never fade in one's heart, and that is what makes it so especial.
A wonderful and very touching poem.
Hugs and love,
Mari
Edited on Aug 07, 2:35 because ''. -
A person can tumble a very long way off a pedestal before the ground breaks your fall! This is actually a great bit of writing for two reasons. Firstly it differs vastly from your usual style and secondly and more importantly it is good writing. What many writiers on this site have trouble expressing is "something is like...?" You on the other hand live and breathe them and they pour from you with the ease of magic. This is good passionate writing that enthralls and grabs the reader just as good writing should. Thank you
David
Edited on Apr 16, 8:55 p.m. because ''. -
sad & beautiful
This part of the poem is so completely true,
We always say the words "I love you"
aren't strong enough.
They aren't.
Sometimes an emotion is so strong,
words can't capture it.
The greatest poet can only come close.
Words can't express love, not really.
Words are tangible, feelings aren't.
This poem was so beautiful and heartbreaking. My heart ached while reading this one. Even though words can't express the deep feeling of love you did a really great job in this poem.
~Amanda~
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I once read, "Each love prepares us for the greater love that is yet to come." We are all teachers and students. There is much we can learn from each other. Sometimes, once the lesson has been learned, it's time to move on, no matter how painful it may be to do so at the time. Beautiful poem! I think you captured the essence of love and helped those who have never experienced it to realize how precious it is. Very nicely done!
Maureen
-
Just a quick word to all my friends who commented on this one - As the poem says, it's difficult to write a good love poem, or to capture something so strong without cheapening it. I can write about society all day but writing about someone who is sacred to me like Claudia is another matter entirely.
I hesitated to post this here because I gave this poem to Claudia and so felt that it was private. But then I thought, what's the harm in making a public declaration of my love and esteem for her? So here it is, my tribute to the greatest person I've ever known.
I don't feel comfortable talking about what happened between us on a public medium, why we're not together, etc., but I can sum it up in three words - I blew it.
Mark
Edited on Apr 16, 11:24 because 'I edit everything'. -
Hi Mark,
Well, I can see what you've lost here, and it's heartbreaking. I just want to scream at God sometimes, "WHY DOES EVERYTHING HAVE TO GET SO SCREWED UP??!!!" And, "why do we lose the people we love the most?" But God never answers those questions, for the answers only reside in my own heart and soul. I'm sorry for what you've been going through, and don't know what else to say. It's easy to use such platitudes like, "It's better to have loved and lost then to never have loved at all," and about how it's wonderful to have experienced such depth of love, but now that it's gone, I wonder sometimes would it have been better to have not known such love, so as to not suffer such loss? I'm sure that's not the case, but sometimes it sure feels that way.
Well, I do know one thing, and that is the fact that I know absolutely nothing. I hope you find your through the tunnel to see the light of day. I'm still digging my way there. I feel like I have to dig to China to find it, and I'm afraid when I get there, I’ll be on the wrong side of the tunnel or something.
Take care of yourself,
Kerry
-
Thanks but I was the luckier one. She didn't mess things up with us. I did.
Mark
Edited on Apr 27, 3:02 because ''. -
Why can't anyone think anything like this to me? To be loved so deeply, and so aboslutly completely is but a waning dream in my mind. *sighs heavily* This one just tore at my heart. It was so beautiful, made my whole body ache. She was a lucky girl and has no idea what she's lost
-
Montreal Standing Ovation
Wow Mark! What a write (and hey Bud, what did you do to lose this girl), the words just jumped off the page...your images of love comapred to the homeless man and the soldier just took me away...very high calibre writing there. -
I am speechless..this is absolutely the most beautiful love poem I have read. Even though you said love can't be expressed in words, I think you have done an amazing job in capturing the essence of true love...how it transcends and transforms the very soul. Wow. I just can't say enough about this only that I hope you can be together again. A love like this doesn't come often. Incredible write. Lily
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I loved this and, although words can never capture the feeling of love, you've done very well. I especially like the stanza "You have reminded me that goodness exists,
not by lecturing or judging
but simply by being yourself,
the way a flower shares it's beauty
effortlessly
with all who behold it." I also had a dear, true friend who was just like this - truly inspiring and very, very special. Such people are rare, and we can be grateful to have met them. Great write
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People who love like this would lay down their life for it - and some spend their whole life searching for it. You are so fortunate to have experienced such a pure and magnificent love, Mark, and I was without words for a moment after reading it. Its truly a beautiful work.
~becky -
execellent piece and extremely moving
This made me cryand my soul truly ache. I can't find the word to say all that I am feeling right now. This is wonderfully written. So many emotions spewing from everywhere. I wish you well. May she come back to you. Much Love~ Cuddles
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