I Wish I Had Met You Before
by Kawsar Ahamed
I wish I had met you before,
I wish we had amore that would be unbreakable.
I wish you were the moon of my choice, looking at which gives me peace,
And my heart found a new light.
I wish I lived my whole life with you,
Every happiness, and every sorrow is shared with you.
I wish you were by my side,
In my hardest times and saddest moments,
I’d feel peace and hope when you place your hands on my heart,
And I would conquer every struggle in life,
Finding success through your love and motivation.
And I would be the person you always dreamed of.
My beloved, I wish I had met you before,
Then my life would be complete.
I wish you were the light that guides me,
The calm where my restless soul could finally rest.
In every look, I’d feel a warmth,
A gentle touch, easing my heart and mind.
My beloved, expressing how much I adore you with words is like trying to catch the wind.
You just gotta feel how much you mean to me.
I’m deeply mad about you and your love,
I cannot think for a moment except you.
My love, you, the only girl, have ample resources to make me gladsome forever.
I need you like a heart needs a beat.
You have no idea how fast my heart beats when I see you,
My love, you’re the queen in my kingdom,
The sun in my day, the wind in my sky, the waves in my ocean,
The beats in my heart, the moon and stars in my firmament,
The light in dismal weather, the sheet in cold weather,
The medicine that cures the pain and the magical machine that makes happy.
Oh dear, I wish I had met you before,
So I could make you mine, and then two souls would become one.
I wanna dedicate my whole life to loving you and making you happy,
My love, come and live in my heart pay no rent,
I just wanna give it to you because I just need you to make my heart a haven,
Where your kind love turns each beat into a romantic symphony.
I wish you felt the same way about me.
I wish we could be married,
And that we had a daughter who shone like the moon, just like you.
I wish that we were meant to be,
A match blessed by God himself—
And that I could see our little moon, a light in our small world.
If only I had met you before, my love,
We’d have spent our days in the company of happiness,
Forever by each other’s side, cherishing our world.
You, my eternal partner, from this world to heaven,
Your laughter would echo in every moment we share,
And your warmth would light the path of our journey together.
Summary of “I Wish I Had Met You Before”
“I Wish I Had Met You Before” is a poignant exploration of love, longing, and the human experience of desire intertwined with regret. The speaker expresses a profound yearning for a deeper connection with their beloved, wishing for a relationship that transcends time and circumstances. The poem begins with a series of heartfelt “I wish” statements, revealing the speaker’s sense of loss and the belief that, if only their paths had crossed sooner, their love could have flourished unimpeded.
The use of celestial imagery—likening the beloved to the moon and positioning them as a guiding light—imbues the poem with a sense of ethereal beauty and spiritual significance. The moon represents not only serenity and peace but also an unwavering presence that illuminates the speaker’s life. This metaphor extends to the idea that the beloved offers solace during difficult times, with the speaker asserting that their love is essential for overcoming life’s struggles. The juxtaposition of light and darkness signifies the transformative power of love, suggesting that the beloved’s presence brings clarity and warmth to the speaker’s existence.
As the poem unfolds, the speaker articulates a vision of shared life—a partnership characterized by mutual support, shared joys, and the promise of a family. The aspiration for a daughter who embodies the qualities of the beloved highlights the desire for continuity and legacy, further emphasizing the idealization of the beloved and the life they might build together. This longing for familial connection also suggests a deeper desire for stability and fulfillment, underlining the speaker’s emotional dependency on the beloved.
The poem’s tone oscillates between wistfulness and devotion, portraying love as both an anchor and a source of vulnerability. The speaker acknowledges their emotional turmoil, describing how the mere sight of the beloved accelerates their heartbeat, a visceral reminder of love’s intensity. This physical response serves as a testament to the overwhelming nature of their feelings, where love becomes a fundamental aspect of their identity.
In the latter stanzas, the speaker’s declarations become increasingly intimate, inviting the beloved to take residence in their heart—a metaphor that signifies both openness and a desire for profound connection. The phrase “pay no rent” suggests a selfless offering of love, emphasizing that their heart is a sanctuary meant for the beloved alone. This imagery conveys a desire for a love that is unconditional, reinforcing the theme of devotion and the aspiration for an eternal bond.
The closing lines encapsulate the speaker’s deepest hopes and dreams, longing for mutual feelings and a blessed union. The desire for their relationship to be divinely sanctioned reflects a yearning for validation and an affirmation of their love story as destined. Ultimately, the poem culminates in a vision of a life filled with shared laughter and warmth, portraying love as a transformative force that can bring happiness and contentment.
In summary, “I Wish I Had Met You Before” is a rich, emotional tapestry that weaves together themes of longing, idealization, and the deep connection that love fosters. Through vivid imagery, heartfelt expressions, and a contemplative tone, the poem invites readers to reflect on their own experiences with love, loss, and the innate desire for companionship and understanding. The speaker’s earnest wish for a shared future serves as a universal testament to the complexities of love and the ways it shapes our lives, leaving a resonant impact on the reader’s heart and mind.
The Modern Paradox : A Poem By Kawsar Ahamed
Literary Analysis
The poem “I Wish I Had Met You Before” encapsulates the profound yearning for a love that transcends time and circumstance. The speaker expresses a deep desire for a connection that feels destined, invoking themes of regret, idealization, and the hope for a shared future.
Themes
Longing and Regret: The speaker’s repeated wishes highlight a sense of longing for a love that could have been. This theme is evident in lines expressing a wish for earlier encounters, emphasizing the pain of missed opportunities. The refrain of “I wish” serves as a poignant reminder of what is lacking in the speaker’s life.
Idealization of Love: The poem portrays an idealized vision of love, where the beloved is likened to celestial bodies such as the moon, sun, and stars. This use of cosmic imagery elevates the beloved to a divine status, suggesting that their presence would bring harmony and completion to the speaker’s life.
Unity and Completeness: The desire for unity is a recurring motif, culminating in the longing for two souls to become one. This reflects a deep emotional investment in the relationship, where love is seen as a means of achieving wholeness and fulfillment.
Emotional Dependence: The speaker articulates a profound dependence on the beloved for emotional support and validation, exemplified in lines like “I need you like a heart needs a beat.” This metaphor underscores the essential role the beloved plays in the speaker’s life, portraying love as a lifeline.
Tone
The tone of the poem is earnest and heartfelt, infused with a sense of vulnerability. The speaker’s emotional honesty creates an intimate atmosphere, inviting the reader to share in their longing and adoration. The mix of optimism and melancholy reflects the complexities of love—while there is joy in the thought of potential togetherness, there is also sorrow in the acknowledgment of current separations.
Structure and Form
The poem’s structure, with its free verse format, allows for a fluid expression of the speaker’s thoughts and feelings. The lack of rigid rhyme or meter reflects the natural flow of emotions, mirroring the spontaneity of love and desire. The repetitive use of “I wish” serves as a refrain that emphasizes the speaker’s longing and the central theme of missed opportunities. This repetition creates a rhythmic quality that enhances the poem’s emotional impact, drawing readers into the speaker’s reflective state.
Literary Devices
Imagery: The poem employs rich imagery, particularly celestial imagery, to evoke feelings of peace and beauty associated with the beloved. Phrases like “the moon of my choice” and “the sun in my day” paint a vivid picture of how the beloved illuminates the speaker’s life.
Metaphor: The metaphor of the beloved as essential elements—light, sun, waves—serves to highlight their importance in the speaker’s life. This metaphorical language enhances the emotional depth of the poem.
Repetition: The use of “I wish” at the beginning of multiple lines emphasizes the speaker’s longing and adds a rhythmic quality that enhances the poem’s lyrical nature. It creates a mantra-like effect that reinforces the speaker’s desires.
Personification: Love and emotions are personified, making them active agents in the speaker’s life. For instance, “your kind love turns each beat into a romantic symphony” implies that love has the power to transform and enrich existence.
Alliteration and Assonance: The poem features instances of alliteration (“peace and hope”) and assonance that contribute to its musicality, enhancing the overall reading experience.
Conclusion
“I Wish I Had Met You Before” is a poignant exploration of love’s complexities, combining longing with an idealized vision of connection. Through rich imagery and emotional depth, the poem conveys a powerful message about the desire for companionship and the transformative power of love. The speaker’s heartfelt expressions invite readers to reflect on their own experiences of love and longing, making the poem both personal and universally relatable.
This poem is taken from the book Poems of Paradise, written by poet Kawsar Ahamed and Foridul Hasan
