Wedding Speech for Khaki
#58 of poetry
I owe a lot to khakidoggy, and the wedding announcement--at time of this writing six hours ago--got me feeling a little bit eloquent. I didn't plan this, it just happened when I saw the photos he posted in telegram, I dunno what to tell you.
Except I recall he's said he likes this meter.
Well, it may not be for me to try to speak about your wedding,
Beyond 'congratulations,' or some mildly sexy teasing.
And it may not be the ragnarok it might be for some people
(I'll not name them but to say June once was theirs and is no longer.)
I do know how it feels, I'll say, to have the ceremony,
A minimum of ceremony, just enough to matter,
Reduced to bare essentials: without bans, without engagement,
No presents and no housewarming, they're both unnecessary,
No honeymoon awaiting, you've been living it already,
No candles nor communion nor (I trust) no coward chasteness,
And certainly no wedding dresses. Not, at least, at this one.
Say not that it was lacking. Say that there were no distractions
From what was after all a wedding's only point and purpose
Like archangels whose being is found only in their action.
At least, that's how mine felt. So here's to yours! May it be happy,
For if it's half as happy I don't think you'll be complaining.