Poetry Series -2

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“When Love Became a Stranger”

By Sūnraaz 


In the sanctum of my soul, I harboured affection-

unalloyed, unsullied, untouched by guile.

My heart, an ardent chalice, brimmed with sincerity,

its libation poured without ledger or lien.


Yet, the world - cloaked in the gauze of suspicion -

scrutinised my candour through jaundiced eyes.

They bartered warmth for vanity’s coin,

enthroning Ego as the usurper of tenderness.


Expectations, like ivy, strangled the pillars of trust,

twining their tendrils around fragile truths.

Jealousy - that venomous alchemist -transmuted devotion into a brackish draught.


Greed came, uninvited, with its insatiable appetite,

feasting upon the marrow of shared moments,

leaving behind a husk where laughter once dwelt,

and shadows where light had pledged its reign.


I spoke in the dialect of the heart,

but they heard only the static of doubt.

My overtures, though carved from pure intent,

were dismissed as follies of some hidden design.


Thus, love - once a cathedral of luminous grace -

stood abandoned, its stained-glass splendour

fractured by the stones of misapprehension.

And I, the pilgrim of unrequited truth,

walked away with the quiet dignity of one

whose depth the shoreless minds could never fathom.




Meaning of the Poem:


This poem is a heartfelt lament about how pure love can be distorted by human flaws like ego, unrealistic expectations, jealousy, and greed.

The poet starts by saying that his feelings were genuine, selfless, and free of any hidden agenda. However, the world viewed his love with suspicion, doubting his sincerity.

Over time, people’s ego and selfish demands suffocated trust, while jealousy poisoned the beauty of the relationship. Greed came in, consuming the joy of shared moments and replacing it with emptiness.

The poet tried to speak with honesty and from the heart, but others only heard him through a filter of doubt. His pure intentions were misinterpreted as manipulative schemes.

In the end, love - once like a beautiful cathedral - was destroyed by misunderstanding, leaving the poet to walk away with dignity, knowing that few could ever understand the true depth of his feelings.



Difficult Word Meanings:

• Sanctum - a sacred, private place (symbolising the poet’s innermost heart).

• Unalloyed / Unsullied -completely pure, without corruption.

• Guile - deceit or trickery.

• Chalice - a large cup, here symbolising the heart holding love.

• Libation - an offering, often of liquid, in a sacred ritual.

• Ledger or Lien - ledger: a record of transactions; lien: a claim over something. Both mean his love was given without expecting repayment.

• Jaundiced eyes - looking with bias, envy, or prejudice.

• Usurper - someone who wrongfully takes over power or position.

• Tendrils - thin, curling plant stems; here representing creeping harm.

• Brackish draught - unpleasant or bitter drink, symbolising ruined love.

• Morrow - poetic word for “tomorrow” or “future.”

• Dialect of the heart - the language of sincere emotion.

• Static of doubt - mental noise caused by suspicion.

• Overtures - initial approaches or proposals, often of goodwill.

• Cathedral - a grand, sacred structure; here symbolising noble love.

• Fractured - broken or damaged.

• Misapprehension - misunderstanding.

• Pilgrim of unrequited truth -someone journeying alone with feelings that others do not return.

• Shoreless minds - minds with no depth, unable to grasp profound ideas


In the sanctum of my soul, I harboured affection -

Meaning: Sanctum - sacred place; Affection - love or fondness


unalloyed, unsullied, untouched by guile.

Meaning: Unalloyed/Unsullied - pure; Guile - deceit or trickery


My heart, an ardent chalice, brimmed with sincerity,

Meaning: Ardent - passionate; Chalice - large sacred cup; Sincerity - honesty


its libation poured without ledger or lien.

Meaning: Libation - offering; Ledger/Lien - record or claim - meaning without expecting return


Yet, the world - cloaked in the gauze of suspicion -

Meaning: Cloaked - covered; Gauze - thin fabric; Suspicion - doubt


scrutinised my candour through jaundiced eyes.

Meaning: Scrutinised - examined closely; Candour - honesty; Jaundiced eyes - biased viewpoint


They bartered warmth for vanity’s coin,

Meaning: Bartered - traded; Vanity - excessive pride


enthroning Ego as the usurper of tenderness.

Meaning: Usurper - wrongful taker of power; Tenderness - gentleness or affection


Expectations, like ivy, strangled the pillars of trust,

Meaning: Ivy - clinging plant; Strangled - suffocated; Pillars - supports


twining their tendrils around fragile truths.

Meaning: Tendrils - curling stems; Fragile - delicate


Jealousy - that venomous alchemist -

Meaning: Venomous - poisonous; Alchemist - one who transforms things


transmuted devotion into a brackish draught.

Meaning: Transmuted - changed; Brackish draught - bitter drink


Greed came, uninvited, with its insatiable appetite,

Meaning: Insatiable - never satisfied; Appetite - desire


feasting upon the morrow of shared moments,

Meaning: Morrow - future


leaving behind a husk where laughter once dwelt,

Meaning: Husk - empty shell; Dwelt - lived


and shadows where light had pledged its reign.

Meaning: Pledged - promised; Reign - period of rule


I spoke in the dialect of the heart,

Meaning: Dialect - style of speech; Heart - feelings


but they heard only the static of doubt.

Meaning: Static - noise; Doubt - lack of trust


My overtures, though carved from pure intent,

Meaning: Overtures - approaches or proposals; Pure intent - genuine motives


were dismissed as follies of some hidden design.

Meaning: Follies - foolish acts; Hidden design - secret plan


Thus, love - once a cathedral of luminous grace -

Meaning: Cathedral - grand building; Luminous - bright; Grace - beauty


stood abandoned, its stained-glass splendour

Meaning: Abandoned - deserted; Splendour - grandeur


fractured by the stones of misapprehension.

Meaning: Fractured - broken; Misapprehension - misunderstanding


And I, the pilgrim of unrequited truth,

Meaning: Pilgrim - traveler; Unrequited - not returned


walked away with the quiet dignity of one

Meaning: Dignity - self-respect


whose depth the shoreless minds could never fathom.

Meaning: Fathom - understand deeply; Shoreless minds - shallow understanding



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