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Love is a Cliff

by Kelsey Stewart

Over the rolling hills let my true love be felt

A forbidden love where our two hearts will melt

That my heart unto yours is knit

An unlikely mold in which our relationship will perfectly fit

Let me rather be a seed

One where I can spread my roots to bloom

Pick me like a flower as it will be you I need 

Promise to return once more and in my heart I will find room

For even the pillars of the temple stand apart

Allow yourself to love me

As this risk is a start

For love is a cliff where you will fly or flee

Doesn’t flying or fleeing mean fulfillment or failing?

Why love can not be both

Smiling and wailing

Nor south and north or back and forth

For in love, there is no rule as such

Rationale:

“Love is a Cliff” by Kelsey Stewart is a rhyme poem that ponders on the question of love and how the fear of rejection can stop us, the readers, from taking the initial leap. Ms. Stewart encapsulates the sentiments in a relationship where one party is so caught up in the other, they are blind to the idea of feelings not being reciprocated (this quote is from A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare). She explores different voices and characters, one where the second party develops and changes perspectives; starting hesitant then reluctant to the idea of giving up their individuality and happiness as an individual to love someone. Ms. Stewart refers to this feeling as jumping off a cliff where one is uncertain whether they will soar and succeed in their journey to find love or ultimately plummet to a horrible end. These two very different ideas represent the characters in ways words cannot justify. She also uses the image of a flower in an effective way, perpetuating the idea of growth. A flower cannot grow without space or sunlight nor grow roots for a solid foundation. I believe Ms. Stewart is demonstrating time and space with this reference as well as the reference to The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran. Allowing someone you care about the time to bloom and the time to once more stand tall and confident is a key component to love. As Ms. Stewart wraps up her poem, she implies the idea of the tangibles. Society is so focused on having reasons and answers to topics as such; specifically ones that refer to rollercoaster emotions as drastic as love. For in love, there is no rule as such reminds us that we mustn’t always question how one can be happy and sad, up and down or hot and cold at the same time; we must simply treasure the moments when we take the risk to jump for love and ultimately soar.