Poem of the week - 'Marriage Vow'

A mate of mine got married recently and I was asked to do a reading as part of the ceremony.  She asked if I had any suggestions and I mentioned that I had a piece that I was asked to write for another friend’s wedding many years ago.  So I read the piece on the day and it went down really well; ‘hitting the emotional spot’, I guess.  Afterwards one of the guests told me that she loved that poem, and that a friend of hers had used it at her wedding too.  I remember that the girl I wrote it for asked if she could pass it on to someone else who wanted to use it, and apparently it has somehow become a bit of a favourite piece for wedding readings, being emailed on and on, I suppose. So if anyone out there is using it, perhaps you wouldn’t mind just acknowledging the author?  Anyhow, it’s called ‘Marriage Vow, and here it is…

Marriage Vow

There is now,

There is here;

The two of us before so many

Saying “We are here together

Sharing a word;

A word that brings us together”.

And so we say to all of you

“Here we are - the two of us

Now,

Now and always”.

And so let this be our vow:

That we, imperfect people

In an imperfect world

Will strive for that word:

That single word, perfect in its simplicity;

And our lives from here on

Are as husband and wife,

Man and woman

Linked together until death

By a pledge before you.

Witness us,

Bear witness to us

As we say to each other

“I love you”.

For what more can one person say to another?

So bear witness

And share this moment with us

As we pledge our troth,

As we sign our names on paper

For some official to record and mark in time,

Not knowing how we feel now;

Standing before you, our witnesses,

Sharing with us

This ceremony that brings us together

And these words that bind,

This word,

This single word

That brings us here together,

This word -

“Love”.