The Paris Review

Poetry Rx: I Loved My Friend

In our column Poetry Rx, readers write in with a specific emotion and our resident poets—Sarah Kay, Kaveh Akbar, and Claire Schwartz—take turns prescribing the perfect poems to match. This week, Claire Schwartz is on the line.

© Ellis Rosen

Dear Poets,

What do you do when the person you thought would be your best friend forever and ever and ever no longer feels the same way? Or perhaps never even did? Is it just time to move on? What do you when you’ve promised yourself, and her, that you would love her forever and ever, no matter what? Was that a ridiculous promise? 

Thank you,
Lost

Dear Lost,

I’m sorry that you’re experiencing this heartbreak. It is both an exquisiteness and a challenge

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from The Paris Review

The Paris Review2 min read
Acknowledges
The Plimpton Circle is a remarkable group of individuals and organizations whose annual contributions of $2,500 or more help advance the work of The Paris Review Foundation. The Foundation gratefully acknowledges: 1919 Investment Counsel • Gale Arnol
The Paris Review1 min read
As for What the Rain Can Do
wash me in blossoms yet to comelift my boat flood the rice fields where the egret landscomplex math rinse off a benchturn on a dime give you something to think aboutfeed an aspiring stream tell you by thunder it’s comingstand you up play a little mus
The Paris Review1 min read
Credits
Cover: Courtesy of Nicolas Party and the Modern Institute /Toby Webster Ltd. Page 12, courtesy of Alice Notley; pages 32, 36, 39, 42, 45, 48, 52, 55, 56, courtesy of Jhumpa Lahiri; page 59, photograph by Marco Delogu, courtesy of Jhumpa Lahiri; pages

Related