Secrets and Memories of an Old Love
I know all the secrets of your body,
I know how many moles are scattered across your skin,
as well as the most hidden one, and the one adorning the right side of your back.
I know everything about you,
your nakedness,
your flaws and virtues,
the stretch marks on your belly,
the hair on your arms and the scent of your neck.
I know what your tattoos mean,
your scars and their history,
I know how many centimeters your chest measures and the enormous heart you keep within it.
I remember everything about you,
just like the trimmed equilateral triangle of your vulva,
the color of its lips—I can even perceive its scent and taste.
I know which of your breasts is larger than the other and the cup size you wear;
it’s not hard to tell,
they are very small and pointed,
so much so that just one fit perfectly in my mouth.
I know what your favorite color is and the fruit you enjoy most,
the beer you like best,
the music you dance to,
the kind that makes you sad, and the kind you usually sing.
I know it because at one point you were mine,
and even though we now cross paths on the street like two strangers while you hold his hand,
it doesn’t mean that in our minds our groans and gasps don’t still echo.
We are wearing clothes,
but we know each other's most intimate corners;
as I repeat,
I know everything about you.
And even if you belong to someone else now,
it doesn't tear my kisses from your mouth nor my prints from your skin,
nor the memories of the nights we made love from your mind;
I can swear that when you do it with him, there are vestiges of me inside you.
Perhaps you find my eyes when you look at him,
just as it happens to me when I look at her,
and my face when you close your eyes,
and my name when you close your mouth.
There are loves that stay forever,
tattooed on the soul;
memory is a warehouse of irreplaceable recollections.
Fortunate is he, and blessed by God he is,
of that I have no doubt.
You know the size of the love reserved within my chest.
Secrets and memories of an old love.
🦋🎼
Reading this poem evokes a vivid sense of the intimate knowledge we carry of past lovers — not just physically, but emotionally and spiritually. From personal experience, the remnants of an old love linger in subtle ways, shaping who we become and how we perceive new relationships. The poem’s attention to details like scars, tattoos, and scents highlights how deeply we imprint on one another, beyond what is visible to others. In my own life, I have found that memories of an old love often resurface unexpectedly, triggered by a song, a smell, or even a shared gesture between strangers. These recollections remind us that love does not simply vanish; it transforms and becomes part of our soul’s tapestry. The poem’s imagery of knowing “the size of the love reserved within my chest” resonates with the universal human experience of carrying a love that once was. Moreover, the poem touches on the bittersweet reality of moving on — encountering an ex while they belong to someone else yet still feeling the echo of past intimacy. This duality can be difficult, but it also enriches our understanding of connection. The recognition that “there are loves that stay forever, tattooed on the soul” encourages embracing our emotional histories as sources of growth rather than pain. For anyone navigating the complexities of past relationships, the poem invites reflection on the beauty and sorrow woven into memories. It is a reminder that even when love fades from the present, it remains etched within us, coloring our capacity to love again. Sharing stories like this helps us connect with others who have experienced similar journeys through love, loss, and memory — reinforcing that no one truly walks alone in their emotional experience.
