BRONWYN & GARETH'S LITTLE WEDDING BOOK (Poem: ALL THE UNPRETENTIOUS WORDS)

It's been an eventful week. High school reunion activities Thursday and Friday, then early Saturday it was off to Kelowna for B and G's wedding. Here they are, jumping over the broom (which, for Kootenay readers, came from the North Woven Broom Company in Crawford Bay). Some broom folklore, lifted directly from their website, which is here:

"Traditionally, brooms have been used to sweep away evil
and bad fortune. New brooms bring good luck.
Housewarming - A new broom brings good luck and harmony
to a new home.
Marriage - If a bride and groom hold hands and jump over a broom,
good luck and fortune will abound in their union. An old Welsh custom
calls for newlyweds to enter their new home by stepping over a broom
and luck will follow."








B & G asked me to read one of my poems at their reception. About a week ahead of time, I conceptualized and made the following little book. I was still changing lines between the second to last and last printing!






I want to memorize your face
The way it looks
the moment you tell me
how the morning glories
have pushed through the earth
in that corner of the garden
where we walk in the morning.





I want to capture it,
paint a picture,
hold it up for all to see
like a birthday balloon
on a crimson ribbon,
or a mirror I can step into.





It will be mine, your face,
not to imply ownership,
never that,
but head flung back
arms open wide
jump for joy mine





and I'm free to fly to the light
that illuminates your face,
your eyes.

I want to memorize your face
the way I would a poem. See
how all the unpretentious words





attract no attention,
breathe no sign of revolt,
until summoned, they appear
and every sense is filled with wonder
at the joy the words bring





as they turn into a poem...
and the poem is your face.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



Tabitha deigned to wear the NiB logo on her somewhat portly belly.





while the Perogy Cat posed for a picture with a Newton and Ridley coaster that heralds their best bitter ale. The text says,

Bitter about not being asked
to be best man, the Perogy
Cat retires to the pub where
there may, or may not, be a
toast to the bride and groom.






And did I mention that Bronwyn included in her vows a few of the words I said to Ted when we got married? I was so honoured. Ted cried. Gareth may have said to Bronwyn a few of the words Ted said to me, come to that, but as he decided he'd just ad lib when we got married, no one, least of all Ted or me, is sure what he said!