Karen Bassey's poem asks what becomes of love once it fades. It starts with the usual idea that two people in love become one, then questions it: if the love disappears, what happens to the promise to love "for as long as you live"? The speaker suggests that promise has quietly changed into "as long as you love," which makes it far less certain.
The speaker seems wistful and a little hurt. The spark of the relationship is now "nothing but the past," yet the two hearts stay "intertwined," as though something of each person remains with the other. The last line carries the poem's main idea: even if you love someone new, a part of your heart will always be missing. The mood is quiet and reflective, with a sad acceptance rather than anger. The opening question, "What do you think happens?", also draws the reader in, as if the speaker wants us to think about our own experience of love and loss.