The Demands Of Unselfish Love

Love has no price
It’s bound by no 
Terms or conditions 

Love asks no ransom 
It comes with no 
List of demands 

Love has no currency 
It cannot be bartered 
Or traded 

Love keeps no score 
No tally of points 
Fouls 
Wins or losses 

There is no give and take 
In love 
No balance sheet 
No drive to compete 
No “I won’t do this 
‘cause you didn’t do that” 
No “I’ll do for you
but you have to do, too”

Sure 
We feel disappointment 
Sometimes 
When expectations are missed 
But we endure 
And stay on 
To love more 
Day and night 
To make all things right 
With a hug  
And a kiss 
Resolve our differences 
And leave small concerns 
Dismissed 

Love’s an expression 
A joyful obsession 
A heartfelt confession 
Of deepest connection 
A gift that is given 
Fully and freely 
With no expiration 
And no expectation 
That it must be earned 
Or returned 

Love makes no demands 
Of control 
Or possession 
No unhealthy yearning 
For steadfast protection 
From the highs 
And lows 
Of life 

Love flows naturally 
Gracefully 
Effortlessly 
Buoyed by the strength 
Of the heart 
Of the person 
Devoted to do its giving 

Love shines warmly 
Steadily 
Surely 
Conveyed through a touch 
Or a glance 
That inspires 
And deepens 
Our purest desire for living 

But I’ll admit 
There are times 
When I don’t have the strength 
To live up to this  
Lofty ideal 

I am only 
A human being 
And my limitations are real 

This does not 
Necessarily reflect 
The desires of my heart 
And soul 

It’s an open honest assessment 
Of the capacity 
Of the flesh 
To continuously fulfill 
The demands 
Of unselfish love 

A love that endures 
Is not always sure 
About 
Where it’s going 
Or how it will get there 
Or whether it will actually make it 

Often 
We just have to 
Put our heads down 
Cast aside doubt 
And do our best
To hold on to love 
To fight in its trenches 
Tooth and nail 
Hand to hand 
Body and soul 
And ride out the waves 
The tumultuous storm 
The thunder that blows in 
Without advanced warning 
Between two 
Passionate hearts 
Struggling 
To make their way 
Lovingly 
Respectfully 
Supportively 
Through the hazards
Of imperfect life 

Copyright © 2018 Daniel R. South 

All Rights Reserved