A Third Body - Robert Bly

This April, I have determined to read as many of my poetry book collection as I can. I am starting with two a day for the train ride. To skip along like a stone on the surface. To become more familiar with the author and to dive deeper when the spirit moves.

In the book, Loving a Woman in Two Worlds by Robert Bly I found this and need to share it.

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A Third Body

A man and a woman sit near each other, and they do not long
at this moment to be older, or younger, nor born
in any other nation, or time, or place.
They are content to be where they are, talking or not-talking.
Their breaths together feed someone whom we do not know.
The man sees the way his fingers move;
he sees her hands close around a book she hands to him.
They obey a third body that they have in common.
They have made a promise to love that body.
Age may come, parting may come, death will come.
A man and a woman sit near each other;
as they breathe they feed someone we do not know,
someone we know of, whom we have never seen.


copyright 1985 - Robert Bly