The More Loving One by W. H. Auden
Looking up at the stars, I know quite well
That, for all they care, I can go to hell,
But on earth indifference is the least
We have to dread from man or beast.
How should we like it were stars to burn
With a passion for us we could not return?
If equal affection cannot be,
Let the more loving one be me.
Admirer as I think I am
Of stars that do not give a damn,
I cannot, now I see them, say
I missed one terribly all day.
Were all stars to disappear or die,
I should learn to look at an empty sky
And feel its total dark sublime,
Though this might take me a little time.
I love this poem very much, especially the line “If equal affection cannot be, /Let the more loving one be me.”. The poem talks about unrequited love. The person whom you love does not reciprocate your love (the love of the suitor). They don’t care about your fate. However, the speaker would rather his lover being indifferent to him as opposed to the contrary. And, if we have passion for someone who do not return our love, just let us be the one who love more. Although some day his lover might disappear or die, he can still take it and get over it in the end. He will still be able to live without his lover who would be finally gone, which means, it is not as bad as we might think about unrequited love because we can finally live with it.
English language & literature 