Changing Partners Poem by Charlotte Gunther

After a hearty “hello” and one quick breath
Comes the heartfelt farewell and quiet tears
As we whirl with the earth
And dance through the years.

From where have we come, go we to where?
From cuddles and coos in mother’s arms
From inside this warmth we look over there
Drawn in to the dance by another’s charms.

Embraced, embracing sister, brother, friend
Whirling out, whirling in, tripping and rising
Connecting, disconnecting to mend or to rend
Giving and taking to weep or to sing

Searching to find that kindred spirit,
The search reflected in another’s eyes,
The ‘almost can touch’, the ‘come close to meet’
Hands that reach and wordless sighs

Rewarded at times in mutual rhymes,
In lyric whispers of selected words,
Walking together in synchronized rhythms,
We dance together on golden boards.

Broken and parted we, yet unfilled
Move on, taking along the sweet ache
Of mother, sister, brother, friend, or child
We find another tune in another place.

We Practice the steps we learned and
Dancing again on this earthly sod
Whirling breathless we grasp a hand
And find at last the arms of God.

(July 2004)