We Are Greater Together Than Apart
Written by Rev. Philip Stonhouse
Commentary below.
Originally published in a U of T student anthology
My eyes are the gateway to my soul,
My skin the gateway to my heart.
A look can shatter a soul.
A touch can quicken a heart.
My eyes search with longing
For something deep within a soul
That will make mine whole,
Stopping my endless search.
Eyes meet, souls connect, intertwine. With just eyes, we are one. We are more together then we were apart.
My blind skin,
Rarely depending on the eyes,
Seeking all touch,
Hoping for another
That will become a part
Of my still beating heart.
Skin to skin, a touch that both excites and calms. We find ourselves lost in each other’s arms, lost in an endless embrace.
Oh to discover one like me
A greater lover I long to be
My words, my tongue, my lips are unable to express the true intent of my mind. My body says more than words ever could.
As I cannot yet understand my mind, it has yet to find its gateway. So to my love I can offer my soul, my heart, my body. My lasting hope is that: whoever you may be, my mind has a way to find its way to you.
Our love will be passion, kindness, understanding; together we will find a new level of spirituality. We are greater together than apart.
Commentary: This was written during my undergrad at the U of T and Sheridan. Our longing for love is an important one. One that we should dwell on. We are meant to seek this love in another, but ultimately this love is meant for God. The Song of Songs is a reminder that our great love story, our great longing, and even sensual reality is ultimately spiritual in nature as it points its way towards God. That is why marriage is so often a symbol of our relationship with God. This does not belittle my marriage, instead it makes it even more beautiful, helping to realize how we can be Christ to one another and give of our very selves in a way that redeems and uplifts, excites and creates peace. My love for God, gives my love in every other place a fullness that it could not have otherwise.
You will also notice a progression from a vertical kind of poetry to a horizontal kind of poetry. This is a visual representation of two coming together.
