I wasn’t! I just searched the quote because I wanted the proper wording, and his name came up. Who did say it, then? I do kind of that like I used it like that though, ha.

Thank you so much on the formatting tips. Maybe I’ll leave it as-is for now and see if anyone besides me misses the italics. 

Italics and bold are made with one asterisk on each side like \*this\*. That said, I don't think this needs them, I quite like the way the parentheses alone make the two sets of lines interact. Italics would distance them and undercut that interplay for me.

What's interesting about that Goebbels quote (after reading this sent me poking around on it) is that it's misattributed, which I think is just too perfect. Were you conscious of that writing this?



Thank you so much! I figured while I was writing this (and choosing the title) that people would either love it or hate it, and I seem to be getting some of both. It's a weird style, but I'm happy that you appreciated it.

Special thanks for telling me you could read the poem from multiple points of view. I was only trying to write the POV I was personally experiencing, but now that you say that I can see how it could be read the other ways, as well. So you have noticed something I didn't, and I love it. Congrats :D

I absolutely love this for so many reasons!
1) Completely relateable. Whether the role of friend terrified to profess their love, a person hearing the (things we are supposed to say when we are in love) & doubting the sincerity, or the person trying to convince themselves that they do love someone bc they know they SHOULD. I read this and it struck from each point of view. Took me back to some haunted memories.  
2) Sense and Sensibility. I love the reference and how it contributes to my regard of the speaker's struggle. 
3) Personally, I would not change a thing. I think the disjointed feel of it contributes to the conflicted theme of the poem. 

This is my favorite poem I've read so far. Please keep writing. Kudos!

I really like this, especially the line 'by doing something stupid, like telling you the truth'. I wonder if you're going through this now, or you've been through this before and are writing about your experience. Either way, it hits the nail on the head of the best wishes in a relationship compared with the reality and complexity of actual emotions. I feel sympathy for both the person who the poem it is about, and the person they're thinking of, and hope that someday all that effort pays off. 

If this is you, feel free to send me a DM i'm happy to talk about it with you, and share my own experiences.

I really like the poem outside the brackets, but I can't seem to properly appreciate the poem with the way the flow is so disjointed. I feel like you could try and pair the words within the brackets to the exterior of the poem in order to give it more of a smooth ebb and flow between the styles. 

"If you  
(I love you)  
repeat a lie  
(Love you so much)  
often enough,  
(Only you)  
it becomes  
(Only you, ever)  
the truth.”  
&amp;nbsp;

Now,  
(No, I'd never)  
I really hate  
(Don't you worry)  
to quote a monster  
(I am lucky)  
like Goebbels,  
(So very lucky)  
but in this case  
(Think of you always)  
I really hope  
(Can't wait)  
he was right.  
&amp;nbsp;

I am loathe  
(All I could want)  
to screw up  
(Everything I need)  
something as great   
(My perfect match)  
as what we have  
(My soul mate)  
by doing something stupid  
(Want to grow old together)  
like telling  
(I love you)  
the truth.  

&amp;nbsp;  

https://www.reddit.com/r/OCPoetry/comments/7yy4ks/chapstick_celibate/duk7tkk/?context=0&amp;st=jdyhsfmy&amp;sh=4e76f8e7  

https://www.reddit.com/r/OCPoetry/comments/7z19t8/love_dementia/dulj6b5/?context=0&amp;st=jdyhstp9&amp;sh=5ca0ef50

&amp;nbsp;
Can anyone tell me how to format italics, please? I wanted the parenthesis lines italicized as well, but I can't figure it out.

Hey, it worked for Marianne Dashwood