Adulteration in Love
If I’m enchanted by your love
Without shame in my ways,
If I’m not like the thirsty bird
Longing for your embrace.
If I haven’t heard whispers of disgrace,
Haven’t sacrificed my pride,
If my skin’s not as thick as a rhino’s,
If gravity’s pull I haven’t defied—
Then there’s adulteration,
There’s adulteration in love.
If I’m not by your side and don’t take care of you,
During your hard times and ill,
If I don’t feel the pain of your disappearance,
If my heart doesn’t start beating staring at you,
Or if I don’t feel serene, and my body doesn’t feel alive
At the sight of you—the moon of my sky,
Then there’s adulteration,
There’s adulteration in love; it lies in me.
If I don’t reply to your text or call within a minute,
And don’t make you, your feelings, and your time my priority,
Then perhaps I’m not the right person for love.
And if I don’t care enough to fulfill your desires or keep them close to me,
Then there’s adulteration,
There’s adulteration in love.
If I’m not like Troy’s prince,
Fearless of losing it all,
If I don’t give you the highest place,
Or win hearts wherever I call,
If I’m not your Christmas Jim,
Don’t make you my Della’s claim,
If I’m not the end of your story,
If I’m not the one called Kanai—
Then there’s adulteration,
The flaw, it lies in me.
I Wish I Had Met You Before – Poem By Kawsar Ahamed
Summary of “ Adulteration in Love”
In Adulteration in Love, the poet reflects on the sincerity and purity of love, examining the inner standards and emotions that constitute true affection. Through evocative metaphors and cultural references, the poem emphasizes the need for depth, sacrifice, and unwavering loyalty in love.
The speaker describes how genuine love requires unwavering devotion, selflessness, and the courage to embrace vulnerability. By referencing iconic tales of love and sacrifice, like that of Troy’s prince and the characters Jim and Della, the poet contrasts idealized, selfless love with the reality of human flaws.
Each stanza conveys a yearning to embody an ideal that transcends selfishness and complacency, leaving the poet to wonder if true, untainted love can exist or if human imperfection inevitably adulterates it. The poet’s introspective journey ultimately questions whether he can measure up to these ideals, leaving readers with the haunting realization that love, in its purest form, demands not just affection but resilience, humility, and courage.
Literary Analysis: The poem “Adulteration in Love” meditates on the depth and purity of love, exploring the self-doubt and emotional responsibility that come with profound affection. Through an introspective lens, the speaker examines whether his love measures up to the standards of loyalty, care, and devotion he imagines.
Themes:
– True Love vs. Human Imperfection: The poem wrestles with the authenticity of love, questioning the presence of “adulteration” when one’s actions fall short of idealized devotion.
– Sacrifice and Vulnerability: By referencing mythic loyalty, the poem highlights the sacrifices one must be willing to make for love, suggesting that true love transcends self-centeredness and personal flaws.
Tone:
– Reflective and Self-Critical: The speaker takes a deeply introspective tone, assessing personal limitations in fulfilling the ideals of love. The tone grows contemplative, almost reverent, as it expresses admiration for those who embody such loyalty.
Literary Devices:
– Metaphor: Love is presented as a pure state that can be “adulterated,” symbolizing the complex nature of genuine affection amid human flaws.
– Allusions: The speaker invokes mythical and literary figures, such as the prince of Troy and Jim and Della from The Gift of the Magi , to illustrate loyalty and self-sacrifice.
– Repetition: The refrain, “There’s adulteration in love,” is repeated, emphasizing the speaker’s introspective doubt.
– Imagery: Phrases like “thirsty bird,” “gravity’s pull,” and “moon of my sky” evoke strong sensory experiences, symbolizing the yearning and elevated status that love occupies in the speaker’s mind.
Structure:
– The poem’s structure, with each stanza leading back to the refrain, mirrors a confession, marking each line as a new recognition of personal flaws that interfere with pure love. In all, the poem grapples with how love can be an unattainable ideal, tempered by human weakness and imperfection, yet still worth striving for in its most sincere form.
Conclusion: In Adulteration in Love , the poet portrays love as a profound yet fragile ideal, demanding selflessness, courage, and devotion. Through imagery, allusions, and introspection, the poem examines the tension between true love and human imperfection. While love may never be entirely free from “adulteration,” striving for sincerity, humility, and loyalty makes it a deeply meaningful and worthwhile pursuit.
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