our he/she began melding into we.
Nine years ago we declared:
“I love thee freely, I love thee purely,
with all the breath, smiles, tears of all my life!”
Yet we learned--
the course of true love never did run smooth,
You said, “It’s ten minutes to everywhere!”
I protested, “We’re late for everything!”
I suggested, “How bout some hummus?”
You laughed, “Hummus, shmummus, bummus!”
You said, “Let’s read Ephesians before we doze.”
I said, “Ok . . . ” yawning, drifting to repose.
You said, “I’ll be a trader-discipler.”
I said, “A what? Seminary was? . . . I do not concur!”
And God looked down and said,
“What fools these mortals be!”
Me trying to stay she.
You trying to stay he.
This he/she melding into we—how can it be?
We asked: “How do I love thee?”
Embracing your he!
Accepting my she!
Loving our very own
We.
Making together–love, we-love
an ever-fixed mark that
looks on tempests and is never
Shaken.
Making together-love, we-love
strong as death
fierce as the grave
Unquenchable.
And I said:
“Follow your dreams,
And I’ll follow you,
Wherever.
Whenever.
However.”
And you suggested:
“Macbeth is playing in the park—
Out! Out! Damn Spot!—
Let’s see it,
under the stars,
sipping Riesling.”
I affirmed:
“Your soul-caring
Ways—reading the Word
to me, to our boys,
and Praying.
Always Praying—
I love those Ways.
Never stop.
Never change.”
You offered:
“Can I wash the dishes?
Change a diaper?
Watch the kids?
So you can go for a run?”
I prodded:
“Help me understand
Your trader-discipler
Dreams
Your heart
Your vision.”
You gave:
“Here’s a cup
of coffee.
Made it French Press,
just as you like it.”
We-love, together-love, says:
I love thee to the depth and breadth
And height
My soul can reach.
*Blue text=quotes/paraphrases of Shakespeare, Elizabeth Browning, Song of Solomon.
