The Buffet of Love
Reflections and A Poem on Love's Complexities
Love. A paradoxically simple yet complex word. Only four letters, but comprises much substance.
You may ask why. Love leaves involves a myriad of emotions. It allows people to experience a multitude of feelings, including vulnerability, rejection, and insecurity. An entity of irony, love also fills us with bliss and gratitude.
It is also complex because each person has different perspectives and experiences regarding love. Thus, expectations vary. While some associate it with joy, dread and sorrow overcome others. Romeo and Juliet had a tragic encounter with love while marriage is a time of joy for many couples.
Love is a challenge to express. For some, it simply means a show of concern for another. Others require grand gestures to be convinced that others love them. Some people are not capable of romantic proposals or over-the-top Valentine's Day presents. Instead, they turn to simple displays of concern -they prepare filling dinners for the ones they love.
Then there is timing. Love happens at unexpected times and places. A classic example of this is when two people of diametrically opposite characters get married. My husband and I hail from dissimilar backgrounds - he belongs to a traditional Chinese family while I have Westernized Peranakan (Straits Born Chinese in Singapore) roots. We've been married for a quarter of a century.
Everyone brings a different facet of love to an over-filled buffet table. Enjoy this little sonnet.
The Heart's Buffet
The heart's buffet, a wealth of cuisine,
A mix of dishes, wealth of food
Something for all, it would seem
Still much to be understood
Buffet table, from different points viewed
Blissful cuisine for some
For others flavors askew
That make the tastebuds numb
Love's table, from end to end so long
To speak is to shout
Whatever's said will emerge wrong
And leave players in a pout
The food comes at different times
Some not opportune
With loved one, one does not rhyme
And may sing out of tune
A buffet of love, varied but sweet
But for some, may never meet.
About the Creator
Michelle Liew
Hi, i am an English Language teacher cum freelance writer with a taste for pets, prose and poetry. When I'm not writing my heart out, I'm playing with my three dogs, Zorra, Cloudy and Snowball.
Enjoyed the story? Support the Creator.
Subscribe for free to receive all their stories in your feed. You could also pledge your support or give them a one-off tip, letting them know you appreciate their work.
Keep reading
More stories from Michelle Liew and writers in Poets and other communities.
The Orchestra of Life
I have thought a lot about managing expectations of late. Of course, there has been a bit of frustration over them. Managing expectations is an enormous part of life. I feel the need to manage expectations of parents, students and colleagues as a teacher. There are expectations of us at work. Our families expect a lot from us. Of course, we expect a lot from ourselves.
By Michelle Liew5 months ago in Poets
Cities on Canvas
Paris Street, Rainy Day 1877 Gustave Caillebotte French artist Gustave Caillebotte was known for his cityscapes during the Realism movement. This is a large oil painting and among his best-known artworks. In the painting, individuals can be seen walking through the Place de Dublin at an intersection to the east of the Gare Saint-Lazare in north Paris. Today the painting can be viewed at the Art Institute of Chicago in Chicago, Illinois.
By Rasma Raisters4 days ago in Art
Comments (2)
Your narrating style is amazing, excellent poem, just looking at it makes me hungry
You're from Singapore? I'm in Malaysia! Where are you currently residing? Also, yes, love has a different meaning for everyone. Loved your poem!