Brenda, I love how you take the he loves me, he loves me not and make it into this delicate piece. It's so personal (I feel) that I cannot 'pull it apart' and put my interpretations on it.

You showed that through tough times you should still pull through because there is always a light at the end of a tunnel.

Em

A beautiful telling of presumably three of the most important relationships/marriages of your life. I do enjoy that this wasn't posted in the "sad poems" section or the "love poems" section, which would have given away the ending. It was actually a surprise to me, as I expected it to be a more sad, but inspirational, piece, ending with "he loves me not". You ended it perfectly, though, with the "I'm done pulling petals." Sometimes the fact that we keep pulling petals means we know inside that it isn't right.

At any rate, this is great, and we're Petal Pals since we both posted a poem about petals on the same day :P Forgive my corniness!

Anyway, a few corrections I'd like to suggest, which did not wholly affect my reception of this beautiful piece:

_____________________________
I would throw a period at the end of each of the first three lines:

He loves me.
He loves me not.
He loves me...

A comma would do well, also, with no changes in capitalization.
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When we said, "I do"

I would personally change the comma to after the quotation, because the pause is better suited before the line "I thought this would last forever". I know you're supposed to have commas before dialogue, but I think this is an exception since no one is technically speaking it, but you're referring to a common phrase. Just my opinion, on that matter.
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"I thought this would last forever" should end in a period... if not that, a semi-colon that will give a nice transition into the next sentences.
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Verse:
Three years in
many "girlfriends" later
you chose no babies

Suggested correction:
Three years in and
many "girlfriends" later,
you chose no babies.
We limped along another
_____________________________
three years:
you living your life,
me treading water.
He loves me not...
_____________________________
Verse:
We said our "I do's"
my inside voice

Suggested Correction:
We said our "I do's",
my inside voice
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Verse:
Her allure was far more appealing
then I, or our children

Correction:

Her allure was far more appealing
than I, or our children,
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Verse:
Sixteen long years I toiled
hoping, wishing, trying

Suggestion:
Sixteen long years I toiled:
hoping, wishing, trying
_____________________________

The last verse is impeccable.

Wonderful job on this piece, hope my suggestions/corrections aren't too invasive!

5/5
IdTakeABulletForYou

Hello Brenda

What a wonderful run through of the ups and downs of your relationships. What I like most about this is the positive and inspirational note it ends on and that you never gave up on love. That's no easy task after suffering for so long.
Take care and stay well,
Ben

I really like the twist on the old cliche of 'he loves me, he loves me not'. Really well done!

Wow, this was an intense read. You found the perfect way to describe such difficult situations with a sort of maturity and acceptance that only comes from years of experience. Thanks for sharing such a personal journey. I'm glad that you found a happy ending.

"I'm done pulling petals."

^^I like the whole verse but adored this line, I like your style and you manage to turn real stories we live everyday to very neat poetry. Lovely read, Brenda.

Hello Brenda,

This poem reminds me of one of mine: Little Missy. I used petals, in a love me, love me not way.

Anyway, back to your poem:

The poem is a love stories, or should i say a series of love stories. It is an honest account of your life and how love if often unlucky. Using the age old method of 'pulling petals' creates a rhythm within the poem as your love life unfolds.

As the poem stands it is heartfelt and it seems a true account. My challenge for you is to have another go, but this time relive the disappointment, feel the anger and frustration. Use these feelings to conjure up dark metaphors and similes, like thunder, poison, darkness, scarlet women of the night. If you can do this, this will add powerful imagery and emotion. Once the reader feels this your happy ending, which you can also embellish will shine like a sun burning through the dark clouds.

If and when you feel like attempting this, let me know and I will help if you like.

Take care,

Michael

Thanks for sharing such a heartfelt, personal, and interesting poem. I love your word usage with the petals, "But your mistress was
drink and drugs." . . . "I'm done pulling petals.
He loves me... "