It is Love – Het is liefde
What is stronger than rimu,
and can’t be broken by distance?
What is bigger than words,
turning whispers into poems?
It is love.
What sustains us, makes us come alive,
sends ripples through the spine?
A divine vibration, so fugacious,
it forms feelings—magical, moving music.
C’est l’amour.
What is an oasis in the desert,
the purest drink from the deepest well?
What presses kisses in the sky
in wisps of cloud and scattered stars?
Ko te aroha.
What breaks down the highest walls,
makes boundaries disappear?
What builds bridges over rivers,
stretching from one soul to another?
Es ist Liebe.
What stops men from picking a rose,
lest its petals wilt and fall?
What makes others matter more,
urging us to see them boldly bloom?
Yah pyaar hai. (cha pyaar hai)
What is the elixir for humankind,
what heals us, makes us whole?
What feeds our deepest growth
the one ingredient indispensable?
Es amor.
What is the best book on my memory shelf,
touching the volumes of beauty and bliss,
wiping off a whisper of dust
from the covers of the past, as my soul sings:
Het is liefde.
Love in all its facets. Use of different languages truly emphasizes the theme. 'Yeh pyaar hai' Love this one specially :)
ReplyDeleteWonder why you love that one ;)
DeleteOh, a delight to read! I like all the many things that you assert (rightly!) love is, and I love the repetitions in different languages. (Only I don't know what is rimu or plunch.)
ReplyDeleteThanks Rosemary and well Rimu is a hard wood used a lot here for furniture and plunch is Dinglish (dutch english) I mixed the two lol Thanks for picking that up
DeleteBeautiful poem about love.
ReplyDeleteThanks Vicki
DeleteWow! Around the world. love has this power! I love your poem.
ReplyDeleteThanks Susan
DeleteWhat is bigger than words
ReplyDeleteand turns whispers into poems?
Dit is liefde
Luthando
Ke lerato
On rakkaus
Thanks Marja for this beautiful poem. I had fun answering your question in some of the languages I speak. :D
Thanks would love to know in which languages they are The first Dutch and perhaps South African
DeleteIndeed... Love is everything (we make of it).
ReplyDeleteYes love is that powerful :)
DeleteYes, this is love. I like the inclusion of different languages - inclusion, the common denominator of love. Wonderful, Marja.
ReplyDeleteYes I agree inclusion is a big one
DeleteLove this Marja. It is love spoken in several languages what a wonderful idea. It certainly is spoken the same and felt the same when it comes to the heart of every man.
ReplyDeleteLove how you incorporated the different languages...
ReplyDeleteHi Marja - really clever ... so well done - loved it ... such a great read. Cheers Hilary
ReplyDeleteImportant questions and I love the answers in different languages, Marja! I also love the lines:
ReplyDelete‘What is bigger than words
and turns whispers into poems?’
and
‘While wiping off a whiff of dust
of the covers from the past, my soul sings
Het is liefde’.
Love is universal, and you've made that clear by writing the word in various languages.Love, as you claim in your delightful poem, is the "indespensable ingredient" for making things to sustain a good, healthy, positive world.
ReplyDeleteHappy Valentine’s Day, Marja. As your poem says in so many languages and ways, love ultimately is at the heart of how humanity will survive.
ReplyDeleteoh...i loved how you used those different languages...beautiful!
ReplyDeleteAn eloquent tribute to love! Wonderfully done!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE your poem!
ReplyDeleteI love the way you've woven various languages of love into your poem!
ReplyDeleteMarja your poetry just keeps getting better and better.. LOVE it. And I hope you had a wonderful Valentines Day <3 Special hugs from the UK. <3
ReplyDelete