Wednesday, October 12, 2011

To have and to hold


To have and to hold, from this day forward,
for better, for worse… Glowing words uttered
haltingly, like lines from a high school play,
learned by heart, yet still alien. Today
is a necessary burden, offered

to assuage the desires of well-mannered
society. A photo-op prepared
with eight-by-tens for all to take away
     to have and to hold

forever. But in truth, what just occurred
in this place, the flowers, lace, high-collared
dress, unity flame, champagne toast, DJ,
first dance, are but the entrance toll they pay
for life to which they have not yet matured,
     to have and to hold.

9 comments:

Pat Hatt said...

But then there is divorce which happens to half, so I guess the holding they will no longer have..haha...great verse.

Anonymous said...

amazing how that special day seems to melt away as the years pound on a relationship... it takes a lifetime to mature... clinging to that first love

Unknown said...

nice to mature and grow together .....thanks for sharing x

Dave King said...

The trappings are not it. They hardly matter, surely.

Brian Miller said...

true that...there is lots of life to be lived after the I do and much to learn as two become one...it is much more than a ceremony...

hedgewitch said...

I appreciate this very honest, well written appraisal. I often wonder how many, young girls especially, think getting married is about the wedding ritual, and not the ever after. Well said.

Ann LeFlore said...

wow what a great look at marriage and wedding well penned
http://gatelesspassage.com/2011/10/11/the-day-of-the-dead/#comment-1682

The Orange Tree said...

marriages take work, not a jigsaw puzzle.

everyone wants to have a fairy tale in their life, not all get it.

awesome point made.

joanna said...

a lot of truth in this for which not every couple is prepared. they can get so caught up in plans for the big day, they forget the lifetime that must come after. thanks for sharing.