If Not For Love
written by: Michael R. Burch
The little child who cries,
brushing sleep from startled eyes,
might not have awakened from her dreams
to fill the night with plaintive screams
if not for love.
The little collie pup
who tore the sofa up
and pleads here in a mournful crouch,
might not have ripped apart the couch
if not for love.
And the little flower pot
that broke and littered the rug with sod
might not have been dropped if a child had not tried
to place it at her mother’s bedside—
if not for love.
NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR:
I have a vivid memory of writing this poem. It was while I was still living with my parents, probably around age 18. There had been some sort of accident in my mother’s bedroom involving the family dog, and as I left after helping to clean up the mess, the poem came to me as I stood in the doorway.
- Attention Span Gap - November 19, 2025
- If Not For Love - July 1, 2025
- Spotlight On Writers – Michael R. Burch - May 10, 2025
