Love Poem: The Bruised Name
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Written by: Su Ben

The Bruised Name

Under the feet of heartless passersby, a name no one knows 
where from, rolling along the path blood-stained; the name 
wounded from time after time is kicked and trampled
by the absentminded strollers drifting along the way 
no one cares where it leads to
 
the name, if only not returned, 
may still be lingering in the ears of the lover 
as a sweet nothing; the name still remains in the heart of lover 
who wanders in the wilderness calling and crying from irresistible yearning; 

the lover, however, grew tired at last, 
and became a wondering name itself, 
it comes to the bank of the river Cocytus dragging its feet, 
wails, and throws itself in the river and becomes a tear drop 
in the end.  

The tear drop carried by the Cocytus’ water 
becomes the name that is downright ignored  
now tossing around in the field cruelly treated without justice.

Although I have come this far fumbling a difficult way,
grasping the trying path, I hear no whisper my darling
once echoed softly in my ears; the name covered in bumps 
and bruises rolling on the field holding her deeply missed 
sweet and tender whisper in her bosom 

the poor name, it would never been rather happier
if it threw itself into the Lethe and drifted away 
in the water of oblivion.