I Tried to Write You a Love Letter

I tried to write you a love letter

but

all that came out

were cliches like:

you mean the world to me,

you complete me,

I can't live without you...

(which, in addition to

being a cliché is a notorious lie – I cannot live without

air or water, neither of which is you; the sentiment behind the hyperbole is understandable,

yet tragically unrealistic, illogical and inaccurate – but then again, aren't all feelings?)

I tried to write you a love letter

but

I could only think of

empty phrases like:

soulmate, the one,

forever yours...

that usually get thrown around

devoid of meaning and

washed out...

I tried to write you a love letter

but nothing original came out;

it's all been said before

so so many

times before.

I tried to write you a love letter

but I wonder if I should;

it's all been done before

so so many

times before.

(and even this “original” idea of writing a poem about writing a love letter all ironic and reflexive like,

I don't know it, but I'm sure it's been done before)

I tried to write you a love letter,

but this poem came out

while I tried

to sound clever,

quirky and creative

and avoid saying

how I really felt.

The Monk by the Sea by Caspar David Friedrich. Photo: Wikimedia Commons

I tried to write you a love letter

when your absence

hit me deeply,

and I realized

I miss you more profoundly

than I thought I could.

But,

try as I might

to write you a love letter

the simple truth

is very simple and

it fits into 3 words

but 3 words don't make

a good love letter,

and anyway,

I'm sure somebody's

already said it before.

#creativewriting #poem