You wore Mom’s wedding dress
I,  big sister chauffeur for the day and Maid of Honor
Daddy sat to your left on that W I D E rear bench seat
I snapped a permanent never-to-fade photo of Dad and Daughter
Never thought of myself . . . never thought, where’s my Prince Charming?

As Dad slipped out the backseat he winked and whispered,
“This will happen for you one day!”
I didn’t feel his vision, wisdom or fatherly protection,
I didn’t feel . . .
Just too worn down trying to figure out how to get my own piece of the ‘Happiness Pie’
and Mrs. wasn’t wired into it

I wore light camel Candies, no nylons, a thin white see-thru cotton blouse and skirt
I felt fat
My dress too casual for a ‘Maid of Honor’
My hair too short, bangs flipped out

Before the ceremony, in the sacristy, we laughed like sisters
light-hearted, poised before the pretend

Your flowered haiku lei, too wide for your head
I tied it round your thin waist instead
Mom weighed 107 when she wore the very dress you were wearing

As you exchanged wide bands of gold ~ inscribed inside to be told
“I AM that I AM”
I cried happy tears when you said, “I DO!”