Wedding Day
Bright church bells Saturday afternoon,
vision in white descending stone steps,
waiting car with a tail of tin cans,
soaped back window, Just Married.
We know the odds are against these two,
commitment as lasting as candle wick,
love fares poorly outside the clean room
exposed to the hazmat of temptations.
We cast bird seed at the laughing pair,
he holds the door while she climbs in.
What advice for the newlyweds is there to share?
How to keep a flame lit in spite of the wind?
They drive off to cheers in, for now, fair weather,
stronger leaning into the gales together.
16 thoughts on "Wedding Day"
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I like this balance between pragmatism and hope. The picture was so vivid could almost smell the cake.
unexpected but welcome last line
Yes, I agree!
The poem threatens to because downer but it’s saved by a little hope. Nice balance!
My typos show my age. I meant “to be a downer” not “because downer.”
“Exposed to the hazmat of temptations.” That line says it all, Bill.
This poem strikes a fine balance of the hardship and hope that awaits the couple. Beautifully done.
Nice, Bill, especially when the rhymes kick in.
You’ve captured the moment as well as gazing into the future with life’s challenges.
Sobering and true: We know the odds are against these two,/commitment as lasting as candle wick,/love fares poorly outside the clean room
Love the hope in the last couplet.
Really effective depiction of the complexities of marriage, especially looking on it from an experienced perspective. I really appreciate the immediacy of the moment and the uncertainty of the future. Nicely written.
well done expose of marriage- the trials and tribulations but hope for the future.
love fares poorly outside the clean room
exposed to the hazmat of temptations.
^ Ain’t that the truth!
I like how the rhyme becomes more regular as the moment becomes more hopeful. Nicely done.
Wonderful reality vs. idealism. And your slant rhyme is fantastic— such beautiful flow of words and images!
The last few decades have made it easier to just let go of each other than to weather the storms. When I was young, if someone was divorced, they were pariahs in the community. “exposed to the hazmat of temptations” – delicious on so many levels!