The Dialogue of Amathil and Itrecal November 24, 2009
“You do not love me,
and I do not love you.
Not yet, at least, not yet.
This is not love we feel, friend.”
“Then what it is it?
If this is not love,
then what is love?
I love you, I do indeed.”
“What you feel now may lead to love
but itself is nothing more
than the result of loneliness:
human need for acceptance and love.
“You love not me, but rather yourself,
and I cannot say I yet love you,
for I first think of myself,
not of you, not of you.
“If I truly loved you,
which I cannot say I yet do,
then I would first think of you,
and you would first think of me.
“All then would be well.
Speaking words of love
without love behind them
is dangerous.
“Love is not just an idle feeling.
Love is stronger,
greater,
deeper.
“Love is a commitment,
an agreement,
a binding
trust.
“Love is a burden,
a light burden,
but a burden
nonetheless.
“Once declared love never leaves,
never for the least nor the greatest
of trials, travails, or tragedies.
Love is eternal, unfailing and true.
“I cannot say
I love you.
Yet our friendship brings me
great gladness.
“Were it to blossom
into something more
I would not say
that I would be unhappy.
“You see, I am still thinking of me.
I am not yet thinking of you.
I have not yet learned
to love.”
“Perhaps that that is because
you have never tried?
Come now, there is no harm in trying!
What have we to lose?”
“At stake, dear friend, is our friendship.
If we move to love with what is not love,
then we risk everything
for nothing.
“We would be devoured.
All would seem well for a year,
or even five, but after ten
all would surely fall apart.”
“Years! You speak of years!
We do not have years.
We have weeks, if we are blessed.
Days more likely, for the war is upon us.”
“Soothe yourself, friend.
There is hope.
There is always hope.
And I do wish to love.
“You know not how my lips wish to say:
Yes,
yes,
let us love.
“Let us kiss.
Let us rejoice together.
And I would,
indeed, I would,
“were it not for the misgivings of my heart.
It is close to the soul, the heart,
or so they say.
What the heart feels, the soul whispers.
“I feel now that we must remain friends.
True friends.
As difficult as that may be,
until this time of hardship is over.
“Then, when we will have conquered,
when we will have achieved peace,
our friendship will have become
a hundred times stronger.
“It will have passed
through the fire
and been tested true,
surviving stronger.
“The first signs of love
that now linger around the edges of hearts
will blossom into something greater:
into Love itself.
“If we attempt to plant the seed now,
into frost we have melted with fire,
the fire will speedily devour the seed:
all will have been lost.”
“What if peace
never comes?
What then?”
“Peace will come.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“My heart feels this to be true,”
he said as he stretched out his arms
and wrapped her into a hug.
She nestled into him.
The moment quickly ended.
He took a step back.
He gave her a stern look.
There was a smile in his eyes.
“Now friend, here is how we go
about securing peace.
As you know
the war will surely
arrive here.
What we must
do…”
The two friends,
standing together,
after midnight
in the gardens
talked long into the night.
Of plans,
of proceedings,
of peace.
The first gleams
of the sun in the east
tickled the horizon
when they parted.
A calm confidence
rested on both man
and woman as they walked
their separate ways.