give me an old and rugged love
one that blooms out of
withered and brittle leaves
one that dares to blossom
even after it has seen
the ravages of winter
give me the love that has known
heartache, loss, and sorrow
and still chooses to cling to
a buoyant and persistent hope
one that has weathered the storms
that have devastated landscapes
give me a wizened love that shatters
from brokenness yet rebuilds again
for I have no use for
the naivete of young love
I want a love born of
a survivalist’s hope
a love found in the reckless courage of rebirth
(c) 2023. CMK.
(from a series of poems I am calling “love poems for the resistance”)
Cathy Mia Kolwey 
Written by a strong woman who’s been through stuff – a lot of it – and learned, but is still willing to risk being fully herself for what she wants.
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Exactly. One reason I felt safe enough to fall in love with Jim was watching him love his kids. I saw that he still had the capacity to love despite great pain.
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