A Breath Of Fresh Air
A prose poem about falling in love
Why do they call it "falling in love" when it is something much more romantic than that?
I didn't fall into your arms, let go of my defenses, spill my vulnerabilities out from my heart and let you catch the pieces.
It isn't quite like that.
Maybe they call it falling because it is romanticized to trust someone so much.
To put your everything into someone, your whole body and soul.
It provides imagery of trust, of care,
But it also feels grotesque, and risky, and scary,
To fall.
I didn't think it was falling.
For me, it was being lifted,
Coming up for that first breath of fresh air.
My gut told me I had to move up, even though I didn't know I needed to breathe.
Pushing and pulling and squirming, just to get to you.
A fight I didn't know I was fighting.
I didn't know I was drowning.
All I'd known was water, but when I broke through the surface, I finally realized what I was missing,
What I really needed.
Falling in love with you was breathing you,
That first gasp once I'm above the waterline,
Only now feeling the ache in my chest that I didn't even notice before,
That ache that told me I wanted you,
That ache that told me I needed you,
That ache that wasn't just a feeling in my gut, but a necessity.
How close you were this whole time.
So, yes, I suppose I fell in love with you,
But it wasn't a fall or a drop or a break.
It was a lift, a push, a relief,
A breath
Of fresh air.
This poem was (believe it or not) inspired by one of Derek Shepherd's famous lines in Grey's Anatomy:
You were like coming up for fresh air. It's like I was drowning and you saved me.
Even though it has been a long time since I have watched Grey's (and honestly haven't watched all the way through it, but have been spoiled, and probably won't anytime soon, I still think about this little romantic line.
I wanted to write something a little more uplifting. I have noticed oftentimes when I sit down to write, all I want to write about is dark and mysterious and dangerous things, but oftentimes this puts me in a not-so-good headspace, and I think I need to find the calmer side of writing, too, and help create that balance!
Thank you so much for reading! If you liked this poem, please check out some of the other work on my profile!
Here are the links to some of my other poetry-related pieces:
I also post unofficial challenges! You can view the list of my open and closed challenges here:
Thank you again! I appreciate all of you readers so much! <3
About the Creator
Belle
I host unofficial challenges and enjoy writing microfiction and poetry.
ALL EYES ON RAFAH. 35k+ murdered in Palestine. 80k+ injured. 25k orphaned. ~10k missing/under rubble.
Top Stories:
2023 - SEPT
Reader insights
Outstanding
Excellent work. Looking forward to reading more!
Top insight
Heartfelt and relatable
The story invoked strong personal emotions
Comments (14)
A really lovely poem 🥹 🌟 I didn’t watch greys anatomy, but I did watch a 2.5 hour video on YouTube where someone had just merged together the main characters attachment story. I couldn’t get to the end of it…. It was way too tragic and dysfunctional (too much like real life 😂). I prefer my love stories to be… well… about love!
Congrats on Top Story! :)
Dear Belle, Your poem, "A Breath Of Fresh Air," beautifully captures the essence of love's transformative power. The imagery of coming up for air after being submerged resonates deeply, highlighting how love can revive and rejuvenate. Your delicate balance of vulnerability and strength is profoundly moving. Thank you for sharing such an uplifting and poignant piece. It’s a wonderful reminder of the healing and uplifting nature of genuine love. Warm regards, Dr. Jason Benskin
Thoughtful, delicate and sweet among a gazillion other adjectives. Congratulations on Top Story. I subscribed.
So beautiful!
Beautiful poem. Congrats on the TS.
Support please
Truly romantic and beautiful piece 🥰
what an awesome way to look at loving someone. Bravo on TS.
You draw some great analogies with this.
Falling in love with you was breathing you, - I love this! Did this poem get TS yet?
eading your poem was a deeply emotional experience for me; the way you interwove themes from "Grey's Anatomy" brought a profound depth to your words. The inspiration drawn from movies, music, and TV shows resonates powerfully, reflecting our deepest feelings and emotions. Your piece beautifully captures this interplay, reminding me of the comfort and understanding we find in art. Thank you for sharing such a touching and inspired creation.
A realization that is more than one should realize, through love that leads to disappointment.
Yes! Lifted. I like it. Falling is about the trust, I think, but also about the letting yourself go completely, unrestrained and giving yourself to that emotion. Liberation like falling through air but not with the intention of crashing.