If You're Ever Going to Love Me

If you're ever going to love me love me now, while I can know
All the sweet and tender feelings which from real affection flow.
Love me now, while I am living; do not wait till I am gone
And then chisel it in marble — warm love words on ice-cold stone.
If you've dear, sweet thoughts about me, why not whisper them to me?
Don't you know 'twould make me happy and as glad as glad could be?
If you wait till I am sleeping, ne'er to waken here again,
There'll be walls of earth between us and I couldn't hear you then.
If you knew someone was thirsting for a drop of water sweet
Would you be so slow to bring it? Would you step with laggard feet?
There are tender hearts all round us who are thirsting for our love;
Why withhold from them what nature makes them crave all else above?
I won't need your kind caresses when the grass grows o'er my face;
I won't crave your love or kisses in my last low resting place.
So, then, if you love me any, if it's but a little bit,
Let me know it now while living; I can own and treasure it.
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lizaguilar's picture

I love this poem. It captures the true essence of what love is all about - spoken and expressed in ways that the recipient can appreciate. Unfortunately, a lot of us waste very precious time in letting our loved ones know how precious they are to us. And oftimes, the moment passes us by and we live with a regret that never goes away. 

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Hnnhbiie30's picture

"If You're Ever Going to Love Me" - A Poignant Plea for Love

The anonymous poem "If You're Ever Going to Love Me" delivers a heartfelt plea for love and affection, urging readers to express their feelings before it's too late. Through its simple yet powerful verses, the poem speaks to the universal desire for connection and recognition, reminding us of the importance of expressing love while we still have the chance.

The poem opens with a poignant request: "If you're ever going to love me love me now, while I can know." This line sets the tone for the rest of the poem, emphasizing the urgency of expressing affection in the present moment. The speaker implores their loved one not to wait until they're gone to profess their love, likening delayed expressions of affection to "warm love words on ice-cold stone."

Throughout the poem, the speaker emphasizes the importance of seizing the opportunity to express love while the recipient is still alive. They lament the futility of waiting until they're "sleeping, ne'er to waken here again," highlighting the finality of death and the barriers it erects between the living and the deceased.

The poem draws on vivid imagery to underscore its message, evoking the image of someone thirsting for water to convey the urgency of expressing love. The speaker asks, "Would you be so slow to bring it?" emphasizing the need to act swiftly and decisively in matters of the heart.

Furthermore, the poem encourages readers to consider the feelings of others who may be yearning for love and affection. The speaker implores us not to withhold our love from those around us, recognizing that "there are tender hearts all round us who are thirsting for our love."

In the final stanzas, the speaker acknowledges the transience of life and the inevitability of death. They reassure their loved one that they won't need affection or caresses once they're gone, emphasizing the fleeting nature of earthly pleasures. Instead, they urge their loved one to express their love now, while they're still alive to appreciate and treasure it.

Overall, "If You're Ever Going to Love Me" is a poignant meditation on the importance of expressing love and affection in the present moment. Through its heartfelt verses, the poem reminds us that life is fleeting and that we should seize every opportunity to connect with those we hold dear. Its universal themes and emotive language make it a timeless reminder of the power of love to transcend time and space.

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