Love Poem: On the Road To Recovery - An Echo Poem
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Written by: Brian Johnston

On the Road To Recovery - An Echo Poem

An Echo Poem by Neethu Panicker and Brian Johnston

WHY DOES IT HURT?
 
Why does it hurt,
When you whisper “Good-bye Love?”
Why does it hurt,
When you don’t sigh “Oh Hi Love?”
 
Why does it hurt,
When you say “You are my friend?”
Why does it hurt,
When I dream “You’re my best friend?”
 
Why does it hurt,
When you are “gone for a day?”
Why does it hurt,
When you aren’t “choosing to stay?”
 
Why does it hurt,
When I see “you are not mine?
Why does it hurt,
When I think “I will be fine?”

Why does it hurt ,
When I long “for you so much?”
Why does it hurt,
When I feel “I’m out of touch?”
 
God does it hurt.
I was so foolish I guess,
God does it hurt,
No no, but never a yes,
 
God does it hurt,
It’s not the same without you,
God does it hurt.
It’s really all about you.
 
How will I cope,
My old reality smashed?
How will I hope,
My dreams of heaven all dashed?
 
Time to move on,
It seems so easy to say,
Fact is you’re gone,
Though our love never was play.      
 
Why does it hurt?
Surely God knows the answer?
Why does it hurt?
“---------------------------------------“

Neethu Panicker

______________________________________


Loving Another

To love another person sets one up for pain,
Yet most continue on to think of love as gain,
But risk is strong that life will cut ‘across the grain.’

It seems we are quite different push comes to shove,
And people can forget this when it comes to love,
That true forgiveness power lives in God above.

A human heart can change I frequently do find,
Especially when ex-girlfriends come into mind,
And thoughts that I am left with sometimes aren’t so kind.

Our dreams that love won’t hurt us leave us in the dust,
And regrets chip away at our most basic trust,
As expectations change our diamonds into rust.

If your heart dreams of love, it’s your heart that must change,
An openness to life, events you can’t arrange,
Wholehearted humor that hugs life when it is strange.

For love must tend its house, no matter how you feel,
Nurse that which clings to life, and dance with what is real,
A pledge to all you love, intention to reveal.
 
Brian Johnston
February 17, 2015

Poet's Notes:
This poem was written in response to a poem written by a friend Neethu Panicker, a 17 year old Indian Poet and friend on PoemHunter.com. Her poem was in turn written for a friend who had just gone through a bad breakup with her boyfriend. She ask Neethu what she would do if she experienced something like this and Neethu responded that she would write a poem about it. Neethu's friend asked Neethu if she would write a poem for her. 'Why Does It Hurt' was the result.

Neethu and I have also written other poems together. If you like this you might want to check out our poem 'Views Of A Dark Canyon' or visit her web site on PoemHunter.com.