Romance and Its Role in Contemporary Love Poetry

Romance plays a tremendous role in contemporary love poetry during every era, even the present, because by its very nature, it appeals to the hearts and minds of humankind. 

Romantic love in contemporary love poetry has always been a valid source of inspiration for mankind and likely always will be. The romantic contemporary love poet uses a vast interplay of words, expressions and imagery often not found in other kinds of contemporary love poetry.

Are not all contemporary love poets romantics? Not necessarily, as humankind can and does have a multiplicity of ways to express love, not necessarily all romantic in nature, depending upon who, or what is the object of affection. 

For example, a contemporary love poet who loves humankind in general, may write contemporary love poetry that is not necessarily romantic in nature, even though it is rooted and grounded in love. A contemporary love poet may also love nature and not necessarily write romantic contemporary love poetry about it either. Perhaps his or her love of nature is apparent immediately, or simply surfaces later in his or her romantic contemporary love poetry addressed to a person.

The person to whom, or about whom, a contemporary love poet writes romantic contemporary love poetry, is important and may be a real or fictitious divine personification of something or someone, a divine-human person or someone human. Romantic thoughts and feelings are portrayed in words and expressions used by the romantic contemporary love poet throughout the course of history, with respect to each. The words and expressions may vary, but not the romantic love itself.

Everyone loves a romantic, right? That is not necessarily true either, as unfortunately, many critics and others see and condemn romantic contemporary love poetry as being too mushy, gushy and blatantly inappropriate. Not every critic or reader is a true romantic at heart, or loves to read romance in contemporary love poetry. In fact, some may reject it outright, or rebel against it.

What is unromantic about contemporary love poetry? Consider this example. A country is at war and a contemporary love poet addresses his or her love for another person in terms of romantic love. To some critics or others, it may appear to be appropriate in his or her collective body of works, while to others, it has no place at that moment in time, or that period of history.

On the other hand, the expression of  romantic love poetry always has a distinct place in every era, as human beings are romantically involved with one another, simply because romance is inherent in their nature.

Puppy love is an early expression of romantic love in the younger generation, but not necessarily limited to them. Teenagers, adults and even seniors, can express puppy love in their own romantic contemporary love poetry, or experience romance as puppy love when reading other romantic contemporary love poetry.

Romance can be adventurous, fun and exciting to most readers and critics, as well as to contemporary love poets who are intrigued by the potentiality and actuality of romance in real life scenarios. At times, words that cannot be stated openly can be more appropriately expressed in romantic contemporary love poetry.

In contemporary love poetry, romantic love may have its negative side too, often revealing the yearning or languishing of a love-sick or love-crazed poet. Romance does not come easily to everyone in any era and rejection by a potential lover often thwarts the writing efforts of potential romantic contemporary love poet whose voice may be temporarily silenced.

The plight of the rejected contemporary love poet can bring out the elements of tragedy experienced by contemporary love poets, as well. New romantic love can also be realized by those in love, who are writing. New romantic love and romantic rejection are real in life. Rejection in romantic love has its own unique pain and sorrow, often left open to expression in romantic contemporary love poetry in any era, including the present.

Romantic and non-romantic contemporary love poetry will continue throughout time, in spite of the best efforts of critics, or others to quell it. Love is always at the heart of true romance.