What if your lover was divine?
The Chase by
Kurt Stavenhagen
Love, smother me with kisses, caress me with kindnesses.
I breathe in your wild fragrance!
I drink in your wine, your dance—your flow!
I adore you.
Can you find the flush of joy from pursuing and being pursued?
The ancient love poem, The Song of Songs, fantastically pushes the boundaries of intimacy. While many claim it’s just a tale of two earth-bound lovers, this translation surfaces textual evidence for love between both humans, and humans and the Divine. It brings to light the dynamic and implicit dialog between the beloved and the lover—lines wherein lovers complete each other’s thoughts.
In this idyll, lovers steal away to timeless oases, mountaintops, and vineyards pursuing a rhapsody of love that mirrors the land's bounty. Theirs is a want that invites wonder. A wander with the will of heaven.
Tumble into the romance, beauty, passion, and shalom of a poem that transcends time—a dreamscape that celebrates a world of deepest knowing, a world that blooms the promise of the chase.
“Words here are gems cast on the path of love. Dance in timeless moments ignited by desire— the heart of the meaningful life.”
—Douglas Marlow, psychologist and former president of the Oregon Psychological Association
“A masterful transposition of ancient texts in the present day.”
—Christopher Hopper, best-selling author
“Only a gifted author can take ancient and revered text and help us see again the colors and feel the passion that course through the Song of Songs. The artifact becomes an experience—which was the goal of both the original and this brave and beautiful retelling. You will be gifting this remarkable volume to those in love, to those renewing their love, and to those for whom love waits with welcome.
—Bill Knott, former editor, Adventist Review
Author
Kurt Stavenhagen teaches writing at the State University of New York College of Environmental Science & Forestry and writes about contemplation and biophilia for scholars and the general public.
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