Willing

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Willing

February 3, 2012 by Betty Hayes Albright

(Just another poem from 1992…)

In truth I would be willing

to try to comprehend

the reason for your going

and I would not pretend

to care if I did not,

to love if it were false

and it would not offend me

if it were just my loss

but others love you also

and other hearts will bleed

when they find out you’ve gone

without farewell. For we all need

connections that are solid

and love not fickle, true –

for love is what we live for

and I’m willing that for you.

34 Responses

on February 3, 2012 at 8:19 pm | Reply Thomas Davis

A love poem Betty? That’s different. It’s a really wonderful love poem.

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- on February 4, 2012 at 5:58 pm | Reply Betty Hayes Albright
  
  Thank you, Thomas… yes, I guess you could call it a love poem. (And maybe one could say that most poetry is “love poetry”…. it all comes from that “place”!)
  
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on February 3, 2012 at 8:40 pm | Reply Dennis N. O'Brien

Nice poem Betty.

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- on February 4, 2012 at 5:59 pm | Reply Betty Hayes Albright
  
  Thanks, Dennis!
  
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on February 3, 2012 at 11:16 pm | Reply Caddo Veil

Oh I really like this one–it feels “familiar”. Great, Betty!

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- on February 4, 2012 at 6:00 pm | Reply Betty Hayes Albright
  
  Hi Caddo – I’m not surprised you felt a familiarity with this one. Thanks for the nice comment! 🙂
  
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on February 4, 2012 at 12:25 am | Reply willowdot21

It is always hard to say good bye and sometimes even harder to wish the leaver well. Beautiful poem. I love the picture too. ( Both our characters on a lake will they meet?) xx

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- on February 4, 2012 at 6:01 pm | Reply Betty Hayes Albright
  
  Willow, I had to go back to your blog and see – yes, our two characters on a lake! Wonder if it’s the same one. 🙂 Thanks for commenting!
  
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on February 4, 2012 at 2:29 am | Reply dfb

Wonderfully honest and deep Betty. Love the image too.

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- on February 4, 2012 at 6:03 pm | Reply Betty Hayes Albright
  
  Thank you, David – I always appreciate your comments!
  
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on February 4, 2012 at 3:22 am | Reply Ina

Hi Betty, lovely, esp the last line 🙂 “I am willing that for you”.

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- on February 4, 2012 at 6:03 pm | Reply Betty Hayes Albright
  
  Thanks, Ina! 🙂
  
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on February 4, 2012 at 3:41 am | Reply journeyintopoetry

A beautiful poem Betty!

“”Love” is the biggest word I think I have ever come across and “willing” is a close second!

Love Christine x

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- on February 4, 2012 at 6:04 pm | Reply Betty Hayes Albright
  
  Thank your for saying so, Christine! 🙂
  
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on February 4, 2012 at 5:52 am | Reply dribblingpensioner

Lovely poem Betty, i like these two lines.

if it were just my loss

but others love you also

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- on February 4, 2012 at 6:05 pm | Reply Betty Hayes Albright
  
  Thank you, DP, – glad you liked!! 🙂
  
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on February 4, 2012 at 7:45 am | Reply hollyannegetspoetic

I think love poems are the hardest to write, because the sentiment has been “done” so much and so often and not always very well – but here it’s gorgeous Betty. Impressed.

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- on February 4, 2012 at 6:06 pm | Reply Betty Hayes Albright
  
  Thank you for your nice comment, Holly Anne! 🙂
  
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on February 4, 2012 at 9:05 am | Reply granbee

Very lyrical poem expressing an earnest request for someone to stay for the sake of others, not yourself. How often have we been in the postition to speak like this–and did not? Betty, please check out my first contributing author post at the group blog at http://ptl2010.com, dated 02/03/2012, entitled “Proving Hope Through Praise”, if you want to find out more about me and my motivations and inspirations. Appreciate the support always! Hugs!

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on February 4, 2012 at 6:12 pm | Reply Betty Hayes Albright

Thank you, as always, Granbee, for your insightful comment. (I will check out your article – thanks for the link!)

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on February 4, 2012 at 9:11 pm | Reply jacsprat

So refreshing to read about the true nature of love!

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- on February 5, 2012 at 1:51 pm | Reply Betty Hayes Albright
  
  Thank you, Jacsprat! 🙂
  
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on February 5, 2012 at 5:45 am | Reply Linda Willows

very beautiful and deeply touching. I felt that the words were prompted by deepest altruistic as well as personal stirrings. This, all- very moving. ..Linda

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- on February 5, 2012 at 1:52 pm | Reply Betty Hayes Albright
  
  Willow, I’m thankful for your comment!
  
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on February 5, 2012 at 1:51 pm | Reply Lindy Lee

Love to a most deserving recipient, whomever he/she may be. Good lyrics for a song…

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- on February 5, 2012 at 2:08 pm | Reply Betty Hayes Albright
  
  Lindy Lee, would you like to compose some music? 🙂 Hadn’t thought of it as a song, but maybe… Thanks for the comment!
  
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on February 5, 2012 at 9:37 pm | Reply Vampire Weather

So touching, my friend. I feel this one strongly, and it resonates in my bones.

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- on February 6, 2012 at 12:07 pm | Reply Betty Hayes Albright
  
  Hi VW – thank you, I’m glad this one touched you. (I know what you mean, as most of YOUR poetry resonates in my bones!)
  
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on February 6, 2012 at 11:06 am | Reply bardessdmdenton

Very gentle but very honest, Betty.

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- on February 6, 2012 at 12:07 pm | Reply Betty Hayes Albright
  
  Thank you, Bardess. I like that you felt the “gentleness” of it.
  
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on February 9, 2012 at 4:51 am | Reply Ben Naga

This seems more specific to one individual, one moment in time than much of your writing, in particular your contemporary pieces.

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- on February 10, 2012 at 10:41 am | Reply Betty Hayes Albright
  
  You’re right, Ben – and that moment is long past, thankfully! 🙂
  
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on February 12, 2012 at 5:24 pm | Reply Fergiemoto

I enjoyed this touching love poem.

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- on February 13, 2012 at 7:06 pm | Reply Betty Hayes Albright
  
  Thanks, Fergie!
  
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