Poems About Falling in Love With Someone You Shouldn't

Falling in love is a beautiful and exhilarating experience that can sweep you off your feet. But what happens when you find yourself irresistibly drawn to someone you know deep down you shouldn't be? It's a bittersweet and often painful journey that has inspired countless poets to pour their emotions onto paper. In this article, we explore a selection of poignant poems that capture the essence of this forbidden love.

1. "Forbidden Fruit" by Emily Dickinson

Forbidden Fruit may be a cliché, but it aptly describes the allure of a love that is off-limits. Emily Dickinson, renowned for her concise yet profound poetry, beautifully captures this theme in her poem:

Forbidden Fruit a flavor has
That lawful Orchards mocks;
How luscious lies within the Pod
The Pea that Duty locks!

In just four short lines, Dickinson illustrates the irresistible temptation and the longing for something we cannot have. The poem suggests that forbidden love is like a forbidden fruit, its taste even more tantalizing due to its forbidden nature.

2. "Fire and Ice" by Robert Frost

Robert Frost's Fire and Ice delves into the complexities of relationships, particularly when attraction is coupled with danger. While not explicitly about forbidden love, it encapsulates the conflicting emotions and consequences that arise from pursuing such a connection:

Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I’ve tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.

Frost's poem suggests that the intensity of desire can consume us like a destructive fire, while the coldness of restraint can also bring about destruction. It highlights the painful reality of falling in love with someone you shouldn't and the conflicting emotions that arise.

3. "Farewell, Unrequited Love" by Pablo Neruda

Farewell, Unrequited Love by Pablo Neruda is a heart-wrenching expression of unrequited love. While not explicitly about forbidden love, it powerfully captures the emotions of longing and the agony of unattainable affection:

It so happens I am sick of being a man.
And it happens that I walk into tailorshops and movie houses
dried up, waterproof, like a swan made of felt
navigating inside my own skin toward you.
And it happens I am the only one in the world
who knows what the hell I'm doing in my own body,
what I want from the depths of my heart,
and what I want is you.

Neruda's poem encapsulates the intensity and desperation that can accompany forbidden love. It vividly describes the longing to be with someone against all odds, highlighting the emotional turmoil it brings.

Falling in love with someone you shouldn't can be a profound and agonizing experience. Through poetry, we can explore the depths of these emotions and find solace in the shared experiences of others. The poems discussed in this article by Emily Dickinson, Robert Frost, and Pablo Neruda are just a few examples of the many verses that beautifully capture the complexities and pain of forbidden love. These poems remind us of the power of words to express our deepest desires and the beauty that can arise from even the most forbidden of loves.