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Also titled, A Billet-Doux. In this poem, the author narrates how her idea of love has changed over the years, from sweet nothings to everyday actions that matter.
When I was sixteen,
I received love letters
From a boy who thought
Life would be better
If I were by his side
Today, I’m 41.
And no, I’m not married
to that boy or any other
My idea of a love letter
has changed over time
I think of a love letter
As not a promise with words
But the actions of a devoted husband
Who shows his wife what love means
By waking up at dawn to cook her meals,
To take her to the hospital when she’s ill
And be with her through thick and thin
In the way he drives 20 miles
To pick up something of hers he left behind
A man who stays through all the fights
And doesn’t keep one foot at the door
Is so much more genuine than one
Who promises the world through his words
But retreats when push comes to shove
I guess I have grown up and seen the world
To understand the finer nuances of love
That makes its presence felt
Without penning a single word.
Image via Unsplash
Aishwariya Laxmi is a writer, editor, blogger, and poet living in Chennai, India. She blogs on https://aishwariyalaxmi.com/ and has a substack newsletter. Her poems and flash fiction have been published in 43 anthologies read more...
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