DIDACTIC: "LOVE WITHOUT A PRICE TAG" BY S.A. AYINMODE

I thought love that wears no price tag came quietly,

But you said I was wrong.

Hmm…..the beauty of love cannot be counted with coins.

Gold may shine,

Yet it does not hold true worth;

The heart knows that the market cannot name

Longing fails where desire is measured;

Desire that keeps accounts

Trades feeling for figures

And calls the bargain love.

When gestures are counted

And emotions weighed,

True devotion asks for no receipt;

It flows like the river,

Free and full.

You should know.....

Hearts break when closeness is bartered;

Trades leave empty bowls, and silent scars.

Shallow gifts crumble like dry leaves,

But truth grows where hands meet without asking.

Patience plants seeds that money cannot buy;

Homes rise where trust is the foundation.

Chasing shadows only tires the feet,

For illusions vanish when the sun rises.

The old men say: what lasts cannot be bought;

Love is not trade.

It is the soul set free.

Do not trade your body for coins to survive;

Your body may start counting before your future cries aloud.

Hmmm… must your love demand payment before it offers even a pinch in return? 

My thought rests on love without a price tag.

© STEPHEN AYODELE AYINMODE 

-Nigeria

This poem, "Love Without a Price Tag" by Stephen Ayodele Ayinmode, critiques the commodification of love and relationships. It explores themes of true love, value, and the contrast between materialism and genuine connection. The tone is reflective, wise, and cautionary.