What is Love?
One word is not enough for all my loves.
I love my dog, marshmallows and my Mum.
I love the sea, my books and turtle doves,
but what I feel is different for each one.
So what is love? I think it is a tree,
with many branches spreading wide and high.
Rooted in my heart, each love will be
unique as tree limbs reaching for the sky.
A twig may last a season, that is all.
A shoot will take a while to find its form.
A bough will strengthen, growing broad and tall,
surviving through an angry thunderstorm.
One word is not enough for all love’s ways,
but I have love enough for all my days.
I love my dog, marshmallows and my Mum.
I love the sea, my books and turtle doves,
but what I feel is different for each one.
So what is love? I think it is a tree,
with many branches spreading wide and high.
Rooted in my heart, each love will be
unique as tree limbs reaching for the sky.
A twig may last a season, that is all.
A shoot will take a while to find its form.
A bough will strengthen, growing broad and tall,
surviving through an angry thunderstorm.
One word is not enough for all love’s ways,
but I have love enough for all my days.
This poem is copyright (©) Rhona Stephens 2025
About the Writer
Rhona Stephens
Rhona Stephens grew up in Northern Ireland and now lives in Scotland. She loves words and music, living in the country and visiting the coast, especially the north coast of Ireland. You can find her poems for children in Tyger Tyger, The Toy, Parakeet, Dirigible Balloon, PaperBound and Charles Causley Trust.
