"Love Is Not A One-Sided Shape: A Collection of Poetry”

1. 5.55pm 

"Eye's unblinking; held open in defiance - blinking means he wins.

Each syllable bursting out of his mouth amplifies louder, while my lips seal tighter.

Fury. Melancholy. Desperation.

The silence is made of brick; I'm buried in its rubble. So I claw my way out, and stumble through the debris.

My destination is my tear-soaked pillow. I'm held here, while he communicates from afar with screeching tyres and the fade of a roaring engine. 

Everything stills. 

The dust settles.

And I hear keys jingling.

And a front door slamming.

Regardless, sleep envelopes. 

Then, its 3am. My body does not recognise the empty space beside me. My heart's aching renders me restless, so I seek.

We're dreary as I lead him back to the space to want him to fill. 

I'm sorry, we say.

I love you, we say.

and I'm reminded."

2. Homesick

"we built it with our bare hands

every piece of rubble, dust and concrete. 

with love in our eyes and warmth in our smiles,

we will our home with decor;

memories

laughter

soft kisses

we looked out our windows and saw a forest of what was to come.

the door was opened, and we let each other in; your footprint now stains my welcome mat

you're away, and I'm homesick."

3. Inbetween

"Inbetween the end of a downpour and the first rays of sun,

Inbetween the ragged exhale and renewing inhale,

Inbetween the infinite decimals from zero to one,

There is limbo. 

This strange, floaty, disconnected feeling,

Like the confusion that comes when you can't find the end of the rainbow.

The inbetween is where we sit, we wait, we anticipate.

What's coming next?

What am I waiting for?

Will the next be anything

like

you?"

4. Fresh Rain

"I used to hate getting wet by the rain.

Now I would run through thunderstorms to see you."

Reflection: "This collection of poetry is an amalgamation of moments and experiences across several years. It tells of a journey from a long-term relationship dismantling, then finding forgiveness, then dealing with the loneliness after separation, ending with a new love blooming. The final poem is intentionally short and simple, to represent the beginnings of a new love: it is unknown what direction it will go in, how long it will last, or what is to come. However, the start is always sweet.”

Photographer: @brookeelizabeth.photography