“When Love Arrives”, a beautiful poem that was written and performed by the collaboration of New York City’s poet gems, Sarah Kay and Phil Kaye. Sarah and Phil are known as the New York spoken-word poetry dynamic duo. They are not related nor married, but they happen to share a similar-sounding last name.
Sarah and Phill have known each other since 2006. They met in a talent show where they both performed spoken word poetry. Now, Kay and Kaye travel around the world together for spoken word poetry performance shows and workshops.
This beautiful poem titled “When Love Arrives” tells an idea of how love is unpredictable, unexpected, and sometimes even blind. At the beginning of the poem, they said “I knew exactly what love was, in 7th grade”. That line tells how we all dreamed about our ideal significant-other “type” even when we haven’t experience love. The naive and innocent expectation of love. They continue the lines by sharing what they imagined.
“Love wore a tight French braid”
“Love played acoustic guitar, and knew all my favorite Beatles songs”
The shift started on what they explain the reality of how they found their loves.
“But when love finally showed up, she had a bow cut.” “Love didn’t know anything about the Beatles”
Throughout the poem, they explain how love is nothing like they expected or dreamt about. But it doesn’t make it any less beautiful. It shows how you have no control over falling in love.
It gets deeper later in the poem where they explain how love comes and goes in a different form. They use “love” as a noun that appears, leaves, and reappears in a way of summoning a human form.
“Love stayed away for years, and when love finally reappeared, I barely recognized him”
“Love smelled different now, had darker eyes, a broader back”
“Love came with freckles I didn’t recognize”
They also show how “love” can go for a reason.
“Maybe love is in New York City already asleep. You are in California, India, Australia, wide awake”
“Maybe love just isn’t the marrying type”
“Maybe the next time you see love is twenty years after the divorce. Love looks older now, but just as beautiful as you remember”
All in all, the poem taught us to be open to the possibility of love. They might be in the most unpredictable people, unexpected times, and locations.
I knew exactly what love looked like…
In seventh grade
Even though I hadn’t met love yet
If love had wandered into my homeroom
I would have recognized him at first glance Love wore a hemp necklace
I would have recognized her at first glance Love wore a tight French braid
Love played acoustic guitar
And knew all my favorite Beatles songs Love wasn’t afraid to ride the bus with me And I knew
I just must be checking the wrong classroom Just must be searching the wrong hallways She was there, I was sure of it
If only I could find him
But when love finally showed up
She had a bowl cut
He wore the same clothes every day for a week
Love hated the bus
Love didn’t know anything about the Beatles
Instead, every time I tried to kiss love
Our teeth got in the way
Love became the reason I lied to my parents
“I’m going to… Ben’s house”
Love had terrible rhythm on the dance floor
But made sure we never missed a slow song
Love waited by the phone because she knew if her father picked up it would be “Hello ?” “Hello ?”
“I guess they hung up”
And love grew
Love stretched like a trampoline
Love changed
Love disappeared… slowly
Like baby teeth, losing parts of me I thought I needed
Love vanished like an amateur magician
Everyone could see the trapdoor but me
Like a flat tire
There were other places I had planned on going
But my plans didn’t matter
Love stayed away for years
And when love finally reappeared, I barely recognized him
Love smelled different now, had darker eyes
A broader back
Love came with freckles I didn’t recognize
New birthmarks, a softer voice
Now there were new sleeping patterns
New favorite books
Love had songs that reminded him of someone else
Songs love didn’t like to listen to
So did I…
But we found a park bench that fit us perfectly
We found jokes that make us laugh
And now love makes me fresh homemade chocolate chip cookies But love will probably finish most of them for a midnight snack Loves looks great in lingerie but still likes to wear her retainer Love is a terrible driver, but a great navigator
Love knows where she’s going
It just might take her two hours longer than she planned
Love is messier nowNot as simple
Love uses the word “boobs” in front of my parents
Love chews too loudly
Love leaves the cap off the toothpaste
Love uses smiley faces in her text messages
And turns outLove shits!
But love also cries
And love will tell you, “You are beautiful”
And mean it
Over and over again (“You are beautiful”)
When you first wake up- (“You are beautiful”)
When you’ve just been crying- (“You are beautiful”)
When you don’t wanna hear it- (“You are beautiful”)
When you don’t believe it- (“You are beautiful”)
When nobody else will tell you, (“You are beautiful”)
Love still thinks…
You are beautiful
But love is not perfect and will sometimes forget
When you need to hear it most
You are beautiful
Do not forget this
Love is not who you were expecting
Love is not what you can predict
Maybe love is in New York City already asleep
You are in California, India, Australia, wide awake
Maybe love is always in the wrong timezone
Maybe love is not ready for you
Maybe you are not ready for love
Maybe love just isn’t the marrying type
Maybe the next time you see love is twenty years after the divorce
Love looks older now, but just as beautiful as you remember
Maybe love is only there for one month
Maybe love is there for every firework, every birthday party, every hospital visit Maybe love stays
Maybe love can’t
Maybe love shouldn’t…
Love arrives exactly when love is supposed to
And love leaves exactly when love must
When love arrives say,
“Welcome, make yourself comfortable
”If love leaves, ask her to leave the door open behind her
Turn off the music, listen to the quiet
Whisper,
“Thank you for stopping by”
