Self Portraits by Contempory Love Poets

Every contemporary love poet regardless of his or her era, paints a self portrait with the words and expressions he or she uses in his or her contemporary love poetry. The image that he or she creates leaves a lasting impression on critics, readers and others.

The choice of words and expressions in contemporary love poetry are a reflection of the era in which the contemporary love poet lives and writes. They depict a time and a place in which the contemporary love poet finds his or her inspiration.

The setting for each individual piece of contemporary love poetry in a body of works, may vary to some extent, but there may be more to be found than 'meets the eye' at first glance. For example, a fisherman uses words and expressions familiar to his unique time and place. Immediately, the self portrait of a fisherman from that country and of his era comes to mind, often without the contemporary love poet being aware of it.

Contemporary love poets tend toward specific genres of poetry that add more 'color' to, or further enhance their self portraits, again knowingly or unknowingly.

Romantic contemporary love poets tend to bare their souls to those they love, or in writing about them, simultaneously portray their own gentler, softer natures, as they express their love. Those who know love's beauty, see love's beauty, depicting what the mind's eye beholds for them.

In contrast, the contemporary love poet who is caught up in the horrors and devastation of war, depicts the ugliness of death and destruction around him or her. His or her poetic sensitivity allows the critic, reader or others to see the anguish, pain and suffering as part of his or her self portrait, often nameless and faceless, at least for a time.

Vestiges of history left throughout time tend to carve a pathway in the lives and hearts of contemporary love poets in every place and during every era. It is often the remnants of an era, or fragments of that which has been lost or destroyed, that confirm the reality of a contemporary love poet's words and confirm the accuracy of his or her own self portrait. For example, perhaps the contemporary love poet was a young mother writing contemporary love poetry during the devastation of a disaster. One can sense her fear, depression and torment, as well as see her and her children in poverty's meager attire.

Perhaps an elderly, contemporary love poet has just witnessed the birth of a struggling new nation, depicting the intense joy of celebration, complete with all of the timely trimmings for that time and place. Joy and sorrow express some of the deepest feelings of a contemporary love poet in every era, but one cannot help but envision some of the fatigue and weariness on the face of the elderly contemporary love poet.

Self portraits do not always portray beauty, but they do depict truth and the struggles often encountered by contemporary love poets seeking truth. It can be read into their words and expressions, sometimes as grief, at other times as sorrow and pain. Time has its own collection of timeless wrinkles, from which contemporary love poets are never exempt.

The beauty of nature often leads to a peaceful piece of contemporary love poetry and that too, is reflected in the self portrait of the contemporary love poet. Discernment may be needed to see it, but it is there, regardless of the time or era. Peace begets peace in its contemporary love poets, critics, readers and others. War begets war.

Contemporary love poets can also portray their own sadness, madness or insanity, in what they write in the form of contemporary love poetry, as they wrestle with concepts, thoughts and ideas they struggle with at different times of their lives. What they are sad about initially may also anger them, and later drive them to insanity, if the thoughts and ideas plummet beyond their emotional control. Like any other human beings, contemporary love poets are not exempt from ideas that could lead to mental illness or suicide.

For many contemporary love poets, being in the depths of despair often serves as a turning point in their lives, as they suddenly discover a breakthrough, or find a higher set of values that give life meaning again. Such is the nature of self portraiture. It portrays the true face of man, as he or she sees him or herself writing contemporary love poetry.