drowning

Summary

The web content is a poetic reflection on the tumultuous nature of youthful relationships, juxtaposing innocence with the harsh realities of love and betrayal.

Abstract

The poem "drowning" captures the essence of young love, portraying it as a summer sea where naive youths sing hymns of invincibility and eternal love. It delves into the first professions of love, oblivious to the potential heartbreak symbolized by an approaching tsunami. The narrative takes a somber turn as one youth recognizes the cowardice in abandoning the other, leading to a metaphorical drowning where one partner struggles to stay afloat while the other swims away. The poem reflects on the transformation of pure love into something tainted, leaving indelible scars. The youths' struggles are likened to swimming in muck, and the poem concludes with a poignant image of washing up on shore, entangled in weeds, symbolizing the avoidance of confronting one's troubles.

Opinions

The poem conveys a cynical view of young love, suggesting that it is often fraught with naivety and the potential for pain.
There is a sense of betrayal and cowardice in the way relationships can be abandoned when they become challenging.
The imagery of water and drowning is used to symbolize the overwhelming nature of emotional turmoil in relationships.
The poem implies that the scars left by past relationships are permanent and cannot be simply washed away.
The author seems to suggest that people often run away from their problems instead of facing them head-on, which only leads to further complications.

A poem about relationships.

San Clemente, CA — Photo provided by the author.

Innocent youths in the midst of the summer sea Singing hymns as if they are invincible, eternal

Professing romantic affections for the very first time Unaware of the imminent tsunami ahead of them

When one of the youths has seen clearly The cowardice is enough to abandon the other

The muck on the surface only grows as the youths turn sweet waters sour What was once so clean now grows mold

With the mentality: I’ll swim backstrokes to keep from drowning The one who cannot swim sinks while the other swims across the sea

The once still waters may have washed away their past impurities But they will never be able to wash away the scars that they leave

Washed up on the shore, tangled in weeds We run away from what we do not wish to face And let our worries sink into waters down below Where the eye cannot see

Thank you for reading.

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