I think about my relationships in life a lot; and, much like many people, I think about my marriage. As I have mentioned before about love and marriage–it’s a hard thing. Communication, too, is often difficult and tiresome. Though we can often overlook these things because our spouses are our backbone and supporters, people who cheer us on when nobody else has the time. That type of dedication matters.

Today I am sharing the poem “what love isn’t” by Yrsa Daley-Ward because the Jamaican/Nigerian poet uses adept symbolism and language to explore exactly what the poem’s title promises: what love isn’t.

“what love isn’t” by Yrsa Daley-Ward

It is not a five star stay. It is not

compliments and it is never ever

flattery.

It is solid.

Not sweet but always

nutritious

Always herb, always salt.

Sometimes

grit.

It is now and till the end. It is never a slither, never a little

is a full serving

it is much

too much and real

never pretty or clean. It stinks. You can

Smell it coming

it is weight and it is weight and it is too heavy to feel

good sometimes. It is discomfort. It is

not what the films say. Only songs

get it right

it is regular

it is difficult and always , always

surprising.

Works Cited

Daley-Ward, Yrsa. “CommonLit | What Love Isn’t.” CommonLit, commonlit.org/texts/what-love-isn-t. Accessed 12 Nov. 2021.