Just As You Are (Revised)

Love isn’t idyllic tender romance, it is an ideal,
a dream; while unhappy relations are built
on dependency, happy relations associate
self-esteem, respect and dignity

Your happiness derives from work and sacrifice
ignoring needs for deference, freedom and joy,
such self-sacrifice without appreciation makes
you feel alone and confused, does not teach

Manners commanding respect; love ideally
as noble aspirations, joy and integrity has to
be learned, it does not derive glibly from
what we covetously look upon

Love is a perspective, an ability to project on
all things beautiful aspects; service does not
beget love and harmony; I cannot accept the
same emotional abuse you are used to

I offer you my sisterly love as affection, not an
exploitation, will spoil you rotten as a beloved
sister, NOT as dependent or helper, I love
you because you are worthy

I honour your dignity and abhor it when
others don’t honour you too; I love you
within the perspective of a wonderful
sister – just as you are…


[ORIGINAL:]

Love is not romantic feeling, love is an ideal,
a dream - unhappy relations are based on
dependency, happy relations on self-
esteem, respect and dignity

You base your happiness on work and sacrifice
ignoring your need for freedom and joy, such
self-sacrifice without appreciation makes you
feel alone and confused, does not teach

How to develop an attitude that commands
respect - love as noble aspiration and ideal,
joy and integrity has to be learned, love
does not derive from what we look upon

Love is a perspective, an ability to project
beautiful aspects on things - service does
not beget love and harmony; I cannot
accept the same emotional abuse

You are used to; I offer you my sisterly love
as affection, not exploitation - will spoil you
as a beloved sister, NOT as dependent or
helper, I love you because you are worthy

I honour your dignity and abhor it when
others don’t honour you also; I love you
within the perspective of a wonderful
sister just as you are…

Published January 31, 2012 Write a comment
To write comments please login or join.
Add this poem to your "I recommend you to read" list? Confirm
user image
James T. Adair
Dependancy is a wonderful aspect of love when it's mutual and when it's embraced. In true love there is a joining of hearts and someone hung up on "self" will have difficulty embracing that happy possibility. The greatest acts of love are often selfless.
Want to delete this comment?   Confirm or Close