“what is this third body”

The Third Body

by Robert Bly    

A man and a woman sit near each other, and they do not long 
At this moment to be older, or younger, or born 
In any other nation, or any other time, or any other 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 share in common. 
They have promised 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.    

peace, dwight