I have known several outstanding individuals who were capable of every kindness – and sustainably so, I might add – but who, when faced with reciprocity and the prospect of commitment, moved resolutely to parry the perceived threat. Why is love such a scary thing for these otherwise-brave people?
Unable to answer the question, I wrote the illustrative poem Capable of Loving instead, in which I describe the poignant case of a young lady suffering from acute sarmassophobia.
Now and then,
I am asked to reveal the identity of the girl in this story.
The question is usually phrased in clever ways ranging from
Is the lady in the story someone I know?
to
Am I the lady in the story?
or even
Is that how you think of me, you [bleep]ing bastard?
.
Relax.
The character is synthetic and the aim of the poem is
to expose a certain attitude and concomitant behavioral pattern,
not to indict someone.
For all you know,
the poem might as well be about me.