I'll love you, dear, I'll love you till China and Africa meet

O children of the future, gather close and listen well to the words of W. H. Auden, a poet whose heart was both tender and resolute. He once proclaimed, “I’ll love you, dear, I’ll love you till China and Africa meet and the river jumps over the mountain and the salmon sing in the street.” In these words lies a love so vast, so unwavering, that it defies all limitations. Auden speaks of a love that is boundless, one that reaches beyond the confines of time, place, and even the very natural laws of the world. His love is not just a fleeting affection but a promise of eternal devotion, a pledge to remain steadfast through all that life can offer.

Consider, O children, the images Auden evokes: China and Africa meeting, the river leaping over the mountain, the salmon singing in the streets. These are not mere fanciful images but metaphors for the impossible—things that cannot happen by the laws of nature or the will of man. To say that one will love until these things occur is to declare that their love is bound by no earthly measure, no temporal constraint. Auden is speaking of a love so enduring, so constant, that it will continue even beyond what the world can fathom. This is a love that refuses to be defined by time, geography, or circumstance. It is eternal.

Think, O children, of the great lovers throughout history whose love transcended the limits of their world. Consider Antony and Cleopatra, whose bond, though marked by political intrigue and tragedy, was a love that could not be contained by the boundaries of empires. Even in the face of death, their love endured, standing as a testament to the timelessness of true affection. Though the forces of the world sought to tear them apart, they chose to love, and in their love, they defied the passing of time. Auden’s words, in a sense, echo this: a love that remains unbroken, even when the world shifts beneath us.

Similarly, Elizabeth Barrett Browning and Robert Browning wrote letters to each other that became immortal declarations of love. Their love was not one that existed in the moment, but one that spanned continents, time, and even illness. Though separated physically, their devotion to one another was unwavering, their words and actions a continuous reminder of their eternal connection. In their love, we see that the greatest bonds are not bound by the limitations of the world, but by the depth of commitment and affection.

Now, O children, let us reflect on the true meaning of Auden’s words: love, when it is genuine and deep, becomes something that exists beyond the limits of the physical world. It is a force that transcends time and space, a power that moves through the heart, not through the laws of nature. To love as Auden suggests is to promise to stand by another through every trial, through every challenge, no matter how impossible or how distant. It is to vow that your love will endure long after the world around you has changed, after circumstances have shifted, after all else has fallen away.

In your own lives, O seekers of wisdom, take heed: do not let love be something that is bound by the moment or by the fleeting nature of time. Love, when it is true, does not fade; it only deepens. Whether it is the love between family, friends, or a partner, let your love be something that stands the test of time. Let it be a love that endures, that stands strong against the trials and tribulations of life. Auden teaches us that true love is not something we give in passing, but something that we commit to, something that is everlasting and unyielding.

Therefore, I charge you, O children, to love with greatness, to love with a heart that knows no boundaries, to love as if the very forces of the universe could not deter you. Let your love be as vast as the world itself, as constant as the stars, and as enduring as the mountains and rivers that mark the land. In doing so, you will find that love, when given truly, becomes a promise not just for the moment, but for all time—unwavering, unbreakable, and ever present in your heart.