Escaping the Clutches of Love: Poems that Capture the Desire to Run Away

Love, a captivating force that can enchant and overwhelm, has inspired countless poems throughout the ages. However, there are also verses that explore the opposite sentiment: the desire to flee from its intoxicating grip. In this article, we delve into a collection of stirring poems that beautifully capture the yearning to escape from love's embrace.

1. "Escape" by Emily Dickinson

Escape is a short but powerful poem by Emily Dickinson that encapsulates the essence of wanting to run away from love's embrace. Here are a few of the poem's lines:

Like a fugitive, hastening
To elude the pursuer,
Hide thyself, lest he seize thee,
And in thy embrace bind thee.

The speaker in this poem longs to evade love, fearing that once captured, it will bind them tightly and rob them of their freedom.

2. "I Flee from Love" by Christina Rossetti

Christina Rossetti's poem I Flee from Love explores the notion of escaping love's clutches to protect oneself from its potential pain and heartbreak. Here is an excerpt from the poem:

I flee from Love, who seeks my heart to bind;
I flee from Love eternal, Love unkind;
I flee from Love ungracious and unblessed,
From Love that gives no peace, no hope, no rest.

Through her verses, Rossetti expresses the desire to avoid the torment that love can sometimes bring, seeking solace in the safety of solitude.

3. "Running Away" by Lang Leav

Lang Leav, a contemporary poet known for her evocative verses, presents us with Running Away. This poem encapsulates the overwhelming feeling of wanting to escape from love, focusing on the desire to protect oneself from pain. Here is a glimpse of Leav's words:

There are times when love is a bitter pill,
when all you have is just the will
to leave the person that you crave,
to escape and hide, to run away.

Leav's poem highlights the internal struggle that arises when one yearns to run away from love, even when it's the very thing they desire.

4. "The Escape" by E.E. Cummings

In The Escape, E.E. Cummings explores the theme of fleeing from love, emphasizing the importance of self-preservation. Here is an excerpt from the poem:

Let the cradle rock, let the grave rock,
Let the black sun drown in your eyes,
Let me sleep awhile, let me sleep awhile.
Let me sleep awhile, let me sleep awhile.
For love is a shadow, love is a shadow,
And time means nothing, means nothing at all.

Cummings' poem contemplates the ephemeral nature of love and the need to detach oneself from its influence to find inner peace.

While love is often celebrated in poetry, the desire to run away from its complexities and potential heartache also finds expression in verse. These poems provide a glimpse into the emotional turmoil and longing to escape that love can evoke. From Emily Dickinson to Lang Leav, poets throughout history have beautifully captured the sentiment of running away from love, reminding us that sometimes, self-preservation takes precedence over succumbing to its embrace.