My Beloved

By MH

They ask me what’s wrong with your beloved?
She looks sad, heartbroken, and in despair
Where is her smile you often praise?

I answered them my beloved is sick
She’s in pain, she has been for awhile
It pains me to see her this way

But I know she will heal
She will smile again
She will stand on her feet again

For I know my beloved
Hidden beneath all the chaos you see
Hopes, dreams, joy, and prosperity

Author’s note: This poem is about my home, which I miss and think of a lot, as well as my family, friends, and neighbors.  

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66 Comments

  1. tara c on September 1, 2020 at 7:06 PM

    This is such an amazing heartfelt poem that strongly creates a narrative about your feelings towards / attachment to the people and things you love. I really appreciate the slight rhyme in the last couple lines of the last stanza. Really great job!

  2. Ronnie Jones on September 1, 2020 at 9:05 PM

    This poem really moved me. Its filled with the emotions of hopelessness and despair, but has the feelings of hope and the desire to reunite with the person(s) you loved again.

  3. Adelyn on September 3, 2020 at 11:49 AM

    I love your use of the word “beloved” it has so many connotations specifically of that of which you love. Despite the personal connection to your “beloved” the reader can easily but themselves in your shoes imagining their own love. The hope that this poem permeates its so refreshing, the journey from pain to healing is such a nuanced look at the way we as people evolve and change through life.

  4. Payton on September 8, 2020 at 8:52 AM

    I really love this poem and its simplicity. Your true emotions can easily be seen throughout it because of your descriptive diction. I just really appreciate how you opened about missing home and though times may be dark now, there is a light for the future.

  5. Rachel on September 8, 2020 at 8:53 AM

    I really like the positivity of this poem. It made me very emotionally invested in the person it is talking about.

  6. Hannah on September 8, 2020 at 8:54 AM

    Your love for your home shines through this poem. By calling them your “beloved” really makes your feelings toward all the people that matter to you clear. Wonderful!

  7. Anna on September 8, 2020 at 8:55 AM

    This poem pulled at my heart string. I can feel the love and emotion that was put into this piece. I really enjoy how you have personified your house and your life. By using the personification, it humanizes your house and emphasizes how fragile life really is. The idea of healing and one day standing back on her feet is couragious and a beautiful metaphor. Thank you for sharing your feeling and story. I hope that you continue to write and share.

  8. Chloe on September 8, 2020 at 8:56 AM

    Hi MH, thank you for sharing this poem. I like how there is a strong tone of hope shining through your poem, that although your beloved is suffering now she will prosper and grow into the future. I like how you describe this as “hidden beneath all the chaos”. -Chloe

  9. Kendall on September 8, 2020 at 8:56 AM

    I love how the poem talks about how no matter how broken you are or how bad you feel, you will heal and you will stand on your feet again.

  10. Kat on September 8, 2020 at 8:58 AM

    I love the metaphor, of the poets home as a person. The home is personified as someone who is currently in pain but they have hope that something will get better and they will be happy again. I think that the word “beloved” is really well chosen, the word reminds me of grace and strength. My two favorite lines are, “She will smile again” “she will stand on her feet again”. Really well done!

  11. Olivia on September 8, 2020 at 8:58 AM

    I enjoyed reading this poem. I feel like this can relate to any person that misses their homes and families. Keep up the great work!

  12. Olivia on September 8, 2020 at 9:03 AM

    MH, this poem evokes such a strong feeling of hopefulness. Although you cannot see it know, you know that your home is full of happiness and love. I love that you have the courage to see that, even though right now it is difficult to imagine.

  13. katherine on September 8, 2020 at 9:09 AM

    Dear MH, you poem is so expressive and I can feel the longing to be back home with your loved ones. Towards the end, I love the positivity and especially that you used “hope, dreams, joy and prosperity” in the last line. Amazing work and thank you so much for sharing!

  14. Ellen on September 8, 2020 at 9:13 AM

    Hello, MH–this poem is very heartfelt. You say that it is about your home as well as the people in your life and that idea really works. All of them are beloved to you. Keep writing!

  15. Words of Faith on September 8, 2020 at 12:46 PM

    Beautiful words I’m sure we can all relate to at one point or another!

    Thank you for sharing,

    Faith
    https://www.wordsoffaith.co.uk

  16. armani739 on September 8, 2020 at 5:18 PM

    I really enjoyed this poem MH!
    If I’m correct, you symbolize your home?
    The faith you have in overcoming the dark clouds over you is inspiring.
    Great writing

    -K.P.

  17. Maddie on September 9, 2020 at 7:19 PM

    Beautiful poem! I loved the emotion that you put into it and I empathize with you. Your home will always be there for you!

  18. Mia on September 13, 2020 at 5:24 PM

    MH,
    I really relate with the emotions that felt in this poem. Your hope that all will be resolved over time is inspiring. Thank you for writing such a beautiful piece.

  19. Derek Terrell Huell on September 16, 2020 at 2:16 PM

    Thank you for sharing! The representation of several things as beloved was great for the meaning and flow. Please keep writing!

  20. Emma on September 21, 2020 at 9:18 AM

    MH, this poem had a really strong effect on me because it made me think of my mom, who I have been worrying about lately because she is having a hard time. I really want to thank you for your line, “she will stand on her feet again,” because I know I’m going to remember it and it’s going to make me feel better.

  21. Kellyn on September 29, 2020 at 7:39 PM

    I really love this extended metaphor and the hopeful note you end on. I really enjoyed this poem and I hope you will keep writing!

  22. Abigail Cross on September 29, 2020 at 8:01 PM

    -MH,
    I like how you wrote about something that is important to you. I also like that you use metaphor to do so. I think it adds an extra layer to your poem. I wish you all the best, and hope that you keep writing.

  23. Helina on September 29, 2020 at 8:14 PM

    Knowing this poem is about your home, family, friends, and neighbors makes this poem that much more powerful. I love the final two lines: “Hidden beneath all the chaos you see/ Hopes, dreams, joy, and prosperity.” A great way to end your poem!

  24. Hayley A Bolar on October 6, 2020 at 10:13 PM

    MH, you are so strong!

  25. Maggie M. on October 7, 2020 at 10:09 AM

    This poem is incredibly beautiful and heartwarming. I love how you call this you “beloved.” It is so endearing, and it is a charming name to call someone who is very close to your heart, no matter how far away you may be.

  26. Zoe Smith on October 7, 2020 at 1:38 PM

    Your poem has beautiful imagery and it made me tear up. It reminds me of my sister who is battling with depression. I wish to see her smile and be happy again, just like when we were younger. Thank you so much. This poem reminds that I am fighting for her.

  27. Zoe Smith on October 7, 2020 at 1:57 PM

    Your poem has beautiful imagery and it made me tear up. It reminds me of my sister who is battling with depression. I wish to see her smile and be happy again, just like when we were younger. Thank you so much. This poem reminds that I am fighting for her.

  28. Joyce on October 9, 2020 at 2:23 PM

    Dear MH,

    Thank you for being vulnerable and putting your feelings on paper like this. This poem is beautiful and emotional. It is both painful and hopeful. I think anyone who has had a loved one go through an illness or challenge of some kind could relate to this. Especially during the current COVID-19 pandemic, the subject of this poem could extend to our whole country and community, not just one person we’re thinking of. The different types of sentences you use add depth to this poem — the questions, the descriptions, your hopes for your beloved, and what you know. Though the poem is not too long, you capture so much feeling in the four stanzas you have. I hope you will soon be reunited with your home and loved ones!

    Best wishes,
    Joyce

  29. kassidilenae on October 13, 2020 at 9:49 AM

    MH,

    Thank you for sharing this poem with us. You writing is genuine and vulnerable, and you convey it so well. Keep your home in your heart. Your roots are deep, and these will keep you rooted in what is important. So many are blown away by the hardships of life, but you are steadfast. Keep writing!

    KC

  30. N. B. on October 15, 2020 at 3:11 PM

    This poem is beautiful and speaks to many out there whose homelands are under attack or otherwise far away. I really appreciate the hopeful tone, the certainty that she will heal, smile, and stand on her feet again. As a reader with international ties, I immediately think of countries that are war-torn or are under oppression by their own heads of state. Those are not always the most beautiful situations, and are indeed chaotic as you describe them. But despite the temporary destruction, these places will surely be beautiful once again. What’s more is that your poem also aptly communicates the power of memory, beautiful places that once were, and the ways in which home can always stay the same. I hope you can see your home again one day.

  31. Kennedi on October 15, 2020 at 11:22 PM

    This poem is good and what makes it even better is that it has a personal meaning behind it! Keep up the good work and do not stop writing!

  32. Ellen on October 18, 2020 at 4:36 PM

    Hi, MH–your poem is very moving. The way that you personalize your home really draws the reader in. Your message is very positive and uplifting–“But I know she will heal.”
    Please keep writing.

  33. Dzina on October 18, 2020 at 4:46 PM

    Hi MH, I love your poem. It’s really touching and inspiring at the same time. It really reminded me of the importance of home and where we come from. Thank you for this. I hope that you always remember that no matter how far away we are from our home and our loved ones we will always carry them in our hearts and they will never forget us. You are never alone. Please keep writing because your words are incredible and they need to be heard. I hope you are doing well. Best, Dzina

  34. Stella on October 18, 2020 at 4:49 PM

    MH, thank you so much for sharing your feelings and message with us! I love the sense of hope you transmit and how you are able to see your beloved healing again. Stay strong and please continue writing! I would love to see more of it.

  35. Katrina on October 20, 2020 at 12:48 PM

    This is lovely!Thank you for writing this-I love the tone of hope at the end.Keep hoping!

  36. Jacob on October 20, 2020 at 7:27 PM

    This poem reminds me of when I am experiencing a hard moment in life, whether I am struggling with anxiety/depression, facing difficulties with something, or feeling anger at the world, there will always be a better time later. When we’re down in the dumps, there is always room to grow, and that’s what we have to strive for in life. Sometimes that light at the end of the tunnel seems too far away, but it is there, and you will reach it eventually if you keep moving forward.

  37. Eva on October 20, 2020 at 7:44 PM

    MH, this poem is hauntingly beautiful. I completely understand the feeling of homesickness; not just for a place but for a people as well. I hope you will some day find peace and reconnect with those you are missing. As is stated in your poem, you will heal just as your beloved will heal.

  38. Steffy on October 20, 2020 at 7:56 PM

    Things are tough and they can even be tougher sometimes. However, “hope, dreams, joy, and prosperity” will always remain. Your poem is beautiful.

  39. Jescie Roberts on October 20, 2020 at 10:07 PM

    I really enjoyed that this poem gave personification to their home and neighborhood. After reading the author’s note and re-reading the poem again, I was able to really grasp the feelings of the writer and his hope in humanity and well-being for not only his home but family and friends too. It makes me happy to see that the author shows faith in that his home will be restored and joy will arise again one day.

  40. Cameron on October 26, 2020 at 1:25 PM

    MH, this is a beautiful poem. I love how you use a person to symbolize your home. I think that does a great job in bringing out powerful emotions in the first two stanzas. I really like how the last two stanzas then turn to be full of hope—you know it will all be okay, and this helps the reader feel a little better about the sadness. It helps me remember that even in the chaos, I can find the light. I want to thank you for reminding me that! Keep on writing, I can’t wait to read more!

  41. Nina on October 28, 2020 at 2:41 PM

    I first read your poem without reading the author’s note.. I then reread after reading the note from a new point of view. I loved the transition in this poem.. You really do a good job of showing the pain and sadness. You then do a great job of shifting the tone to something more uplifting. You see the beauty and have hope. I also like the word choice of “beloved” for your home. Usually people think of a person when they hear that word, but you did something creative and used it to describe various things. That shows the reader how important these things are to you and I really enjoyed reading! –Nina

  42. kiana on October 28, 2020 at 3:08 PM

    MH,

    This poem was incredibly well written. You shift so elegantly from the pain and heartbreak that both you and your beloved feel to the hope that you also both share. Please keep writing 🙂

  43. Rachel on October 28, 2020 at 3:10 PM

    I am so happy to see that there is hope at the end of your poem. It is so difficult to have that hope when someone you now is sick. I would like to know more about what is going in your life. Tell me about your loved ones and neighbors and specifics about them. I’m looking forward to seeing more.

  44. Avantika Bhaduri on October 30, 2020 at 3:21 PM

    Hi MH,

    I think your title, “My Beloved” embodies the heart of this poem and it made me feel nostalgic. This year has not been normal by any stretch. I never thought after starting college I would spend so much time in my family home again with my parents and younger brother. Within the curse of COVID-19, that was definitely a blessing, but at the same time it made it that much harder when I came back to campus to live alone again. With the current restrictions, its hard to see my other friend’s faces as well and as the semester drags on, I start missing home more. I miss small-talk and the constant noises and voices even if it made it hard to concentrate on school. I miss waking up to see my world in front of me. I hope both of us can reunite with our beloved someday soon.

    I hope you keep writing and sharing your poetry with the world on here! I’ll look forward to it!

    -A,B,

  45. Logan on November 5, 2020 at 2:42 PM

    I liked this, MH, it reminds me of Edgar Allan Poe’s “Annabel Lee,” but it’s not quite sad. Your poem is more hopeful than sad, if I had to give it a definite tone. Hopeful that one day your own beloved will return to the state you love her for. I also appreciate that she’s still your beloved, despite the hard times they must be going through. Some people would rather not deal with that, but you are sticking with her (at least in a poetic sense) and I appreciate that. Keep up the good work, MH.

  46. Erik Celis on November 19, 2020 at 11:28 PM

    This poem hit the spot where your brain produce cerebral clarity. Living in this pandemic is full of sadness and loss so it’s hard to escape but this poem showed me to look at the positive things in the pandemic. Just because someone is sad right now doesn’t mean it’s permanent.

  47. AKB on December 4, 2020 at 1:10 PM

    I like the fact that the poem was simple but it still has a very powerful message. Good job expressing your feelings and I hope you are able to go home soon!

  48. Margeaux on December 13, 2020 at 7:57 PM

    This is a beautiful message! I wish for you the “hopes, dreams, joy, and prosperity” that you seek.

  49. Sabryn Ferchichi on December 16, 2020 at 2:30 PM

    MH,

    I really enjoyed the unnamed repetition of “beloved,” and without the authors note, the reader would be left to interpret who they are and how they relate to their own lives which is incredibly powerful. I like the flow and how it starts with words such as “sad, broken, and in despair” but ends with words such as “hopes, dreams, joy, and prosperity.” It conveys an image of homefulness and possibility.

  50. Riti Kalra on January 18, 2021 at 7:13 PM

    I really love how you transitioned from feeling dejected about your “beloved” to showing confidence and hopefulness for their wellbeing. This almost a sense of maturity in your writing because you make that transition so beautifully. I like how you put in the author’s note but also let the poem be something that is personal to a lot of people, like myself. You showed persistence and I really admire that.

  51. Courtney on February 23, 2021 at 12:36 AM

    This was such a touching and heartfelt poem. Thank you for sharing!

  52. David Liu on February 24, 2021 at 2:51 PM

    I enjoyed reading this very much. Thank you for sharing! Keep up the great work!

  53. Maddie on March 5, 2021 at 2:13 PM

    MH, this personification of your home is really beautiful. I read the poem several times since I had first interpreted it one way and then read the note at the end, which gave me a whole new perspective on what you had written. I like that this poem is short and sweet yet also manages to have a sense of depth that grows more profound with each read.

  54. Amanda on March 26, 2021 at 4:36 PM

    MH,
    Your poem brought be such raw and true emotions while reading. It really tugged at my heart strings and made me really understand the emotions and thoughts you were feeling. Thank you so much for allowing others to reading this wonderful piece, I’m sure it was hard for you to write and publish for others to see.

  55. Zach Phelps on March 30, 2021 at 2:19 PM

    I love how you focused on the sadness of someone or something you love, but twisted the poem at the end and new that underneath the sadness and despair their is hope for tough times to end and you are confident they will. This theme was great! I really enjoyed the last line “For I know my beloved
    Hidden beneath all the chaos you see
    Hopes, dreams, joy, and prosperity”
    This was such a strong, impactful, and hopeful way to end the poem. I really love how you say “hidden behind the chaos”. This line stuck out to me because in life there is always hope and light to be found behind difficult situations. Thank you for sharing this poem, it is awesome!

  56. Aprile on April 3, 2021 at 12:15 PM

    Such a beautiful poem! Your determination and perseverance are evident and admirable. Thank you so much for sharing.

  57. CA on April 21, 2021 at 7:12 PM

    MH,

    I like the use of “beloved” throughout the piece because the reader can interpret this meaning several different ways. I love how optimistic you are in your writing. You explain in the beginning the pain you and your beloved are feeling but then go on to say that you are looking on the brighter side of things. Whatever you are going through I know you will heal soon because of your positive mindset. Thank you for sharing this lovely poem.

    CA

  58. M on April 29, 2021 at 9:35 PM

    hello mh, thankyou for sharing. This poem is one I could really connect to as I could resonate and connect to what you are writing about. I like how you connected the word love and used it a metaphor for missing home, this was really clever.

  59. cm on May 2, 2021 at 3:01 PM

    Hello MH – thank you for sharing this poem with us. I am in a college English course called Writing and Community, where we focus on community service and service learning. We try to interact with the community outside of the university to enhance our learning and help community organizations in achieving their missions. I felt moved by your poem, as I felt the emotions behind the words were so vivid and could be felt even through my computer screen. The beginning of the poem made me feel sad, and I felt like I could feel your longing for home, your family, and your friends. The hopeful tone at the end made me believe you have hope everything will be okay in the end, and that you are hopeful and excited about the idea of being back home with the people you miss. I sincerely hope you continue to write poetry and express yourself through your writing – it seems that you have both a talent and a passion for doing so. I wish you good luck in the future!

  60. nisha on October 17, 2021 at 4:18 PM

    This poem is strong and emotional. It gives a positive message from how you were able to move from pain to feeling hopeful.

  61. Julia on October 18, 2021 at 2:46 PM

    I love how there is a theme of hope. Although you write about the pain and bad things your beloved is going through, you know that one day she will be okay again, smiling. I love how you hope for someone/something else. I also appreciate you telling us who/what your beloved is. I like how your beloved isn’t just one thing or person, it’s all the things important in your life. Even though a lot is going on, you are hoping for the best. I wish you the best of luck and hope to read another one of your poems.

  62. Ainsley on November 25, 2022 at 12:25 PM

    Hi MH,
    I really enjoyed reading this poem. I love that you refer to your home as your “beloved”, and I also appreciate how that term can also mean the people at home, like your friends and family. The ending is very heartwarming, and I can feel your love and hopefulness through your words. The personification of your house and your life was another beautiful touch that added a lot of emotion to the poem. Thank you for sharing!
    Ainsley

  63. Vatsal on February 11, 2023 at 2:02 AM

    MH,
    I really like how you use this poem as a way to show your true emotions and the things you miss in life. Nothing ever lasts forever and this poem shows that we must enjoy our lives before it is too late. Your poem ends on a strong note suggesting that people can always improve their lives no matter how bad it is. Thank you for writing this.

  64. Sophia on February 26, 2023 at 11:14 AM

    I love how you took something important to you– your home– and personified it into your “beloved” to make it into something we know how to treat and love. We know how to treat sick people, we know how to love those we care about. But the whole idea of home can be more broad and abstract, making love more difficult to conceptualize.

  65. Zach on March 24, 2023 at 2:21 PM

    Wow, this is a beautiful metaphor used to describe your home! I am so glad you include the authors note to explain the meaning as I would not have picked that up from just the poem itself! I love hidden meanings! This poem was so string and powerful and even more so once I knew it was about your homeland! Thank you so much for sharing!

  66. Hannah on April 15, 2023 at 5:09 PM

    this was so lovely! I think that every poem speaks to a person in a different way– so, reading as someone with depression this is a message of hope. you will walk again you will get up and smile. this is so lovely

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