The universal yearning for love and acceptance is a powerful theme that has resonated through poetry for centuries. The desire to be seen, cherished, and understood fuels a deep emotional wellspring from which countless poems have been drawn. This article delves into the complexities of wanting to be loved, exploring the pain of unrequited affection, the persistent hope for connection, and the vulnerability inherent in opening oneself to the possibility of love.
Contents
The Ache of Unrequited Love
Unrequited love, a common yet deeply personal experience, often finds expression in poetry. The poem “The Boy Who Loves You Too,” presented below, serves as a poignant example of this theme:
Never should I love,
For never will you love me.
Never will your deep, blue eyes
Look in mine and read my mind,
Like a psychic running her fingers along the lines of my palms.
Palms that belong to hands you’ll never hold,
And handle with care like you would antique china
And at the same time grip with a firmness that tells me you’ll never let go.
You’ll never let go because you’ll never wrap your soft, warm arms around me in the first place.
Your soul will never entangle with mine and fill that void
Left by a wound sliced deep within me.
A wound left by my father’s youth,
And my mother’s faith,
Whose knife cut out their acceptance for me
And gouged out my trust in them.
The poem’s opening lines immediately establish a sense of despair and resignation. The speaker acknowledges the futility of their love, recognizing that the object of their affection will never reciprocate their feelings. The imagery of untouched hands and unread minds highlights the distance between the two individuals, emphasizing the speaker’s longing for a connection that remains elusive.
The Persistent Hope for Connection
Despite the pervasive sense of despair, a flicker of hope persists throughout the poem. The speaker imagines a future where their love might be realized, clinging to the belief that someday, their feelings will be reciprocated:
Can’t you see that you are the antidote to my lifelong suffering?
…
The running to my fading health
Running, running, running away
Far away from this broken house…
…And who is there to blame but me?
Who is there to blame but me?
But none of that matters to you.
It can’t matter to you,
Because all you do is love
And love
And love
And love
And love.
But you never love me.
This desperate plea reveals the speaker’s vulnerability and their deep-seated need for love and acceptance. The repetition of the word “love” underscores the irony of their situation: surrounded by love, yet feeling utterly deprived of it.
The Vulnerability of Love
The poem’s closing lines capture the speaker’s unwavering determination to pursue their love, despite the repeated rejections:
Each year I have known you I have reached out farther than the last,
…
Telling me that never should I love,
For never will you love me.
But I never listen.
Because I know you too well.
And I know that someday,
Someday soon,
You’ll make the happy accident
Of stepping too close to my many straining hands,
And I’ll pull you near to me
And you’ll realize that you never loved her at all.
And that you always,
always have loved me.
-The Boy Who Loves You Too
This unwavering hope, bordering on delusion, speaks to the powerful force of desire and the lengths to which one might go to attain the love they crave. The poem ultimately leaves the reader with a sense of both sadness and empathy for the speaker, highlighting the raw vulnerability and persistent hope that characterize the experience of wanting to be loved.
Conclusion
“The Boy Who Loves You Too” offers a raw and intimate glimpse into the complex emotions associated with wanting to be loved. Through vivid imagery and heartfelt language, the poem explores the pain of unrequited affection, the persistent hope for connection, and the vulnerability inherent in opening oneself to the possibility of love. The poem’s exploration of these universal themes resonates deeply with readers, reminding us of the profound human need for love and belonging.