Akwama on Love

They hunt love in the jungle of things
imagining themselves well equipped,
unaware of the burden of their sharp needs
or the handicap of their heavy wants.

They are loaded with Musts, Oughts and Shoulds
as if love cared about laws and rules
other than the law of life and the rule of obedience to the dictates of desire.
They think by capturing love they can train it to produce happiness whenever they clap their emptiness.

They want to give and take, but love never takes.
It gives and grows by what it receives.
It cares not for things.
Caresses weigh more deeply than gifts.
An unnecessary kiss on the back of the neck
can grow into priceless passion.

They fear to stand naked in the face of life,
apologize for the purity of their desires
and look for love among things.
Silly flowers fearing being desired as fruit
imagining that love can be captured.
Love is the hunter.