all several souls contain

 

 

 

 

If any, so by love refined, 

That he soul's language understood, 

And by good love were grown all mind, 

Within convenient distance stood, 

 

He—though he knew not which soul spake, 

Because both meant, both spake the same— 

Might thence a new concoction take, 

And part far purer than he came. 

 

This ecstasy doth unperplex 

(We said) and tell us what we love ; 

We see by this, it was not sex ; 

We see, we saw not, what did move : 

 

But as all several souls contain 

Mixture of things they know not what, 

Love these mix'd souls doth mix again, 

And makes both one, each this, and that. 

 

 

 

~ John Donne (1572-1631)

from The Ecstasy
art by Georgia O'Keefe