Vows And Promises Poem by Lonnie Hicks

In life we are the promises we make
'til death due us part; '
we are the vows we take
in ceremonies grave

in public places
or private private thoughts
(I shall never be like dad)
(I shall never be like mom)
vows and promises define
the sign posts we use
to navigate life;
from these our commitments flow;
from these
we trace
our views
from early on
bequeathed to progeny
who vow
for or against what we
stood for
and the dance proceeds
generationally.

All civilization
begins with
'I promise you'
love and my devotion;
all hurt too springs
therefrom.

Promise me
and I promise you
together we
make the compact
human
which makes all life
possible
for ourselves
and the little ones.

Humans mate
with ceremony and ring
animals do not;

for promises
they cannot contemplate;

for them there are
no golden bands
or cherished words;
no altars
or gathered friends.

No loved ones who
witness.

No it is only you
and I who
stand before
the community
and promise
today;
tonight
and tomorrow.

Intonate now
with me these hushed tones

She:
'I promise you
I will love
you and only you
from now on
and take your heart
and press it to mine;
your needs
are my devotion
these shall rest with me
the remainder of my life.'

He:
'For you I set aside
my heart;
placing it in this silver box
to be opened each and every night
but only by you.

For you I set aside all other vows
and cleave to only those l promise
to you and only you.

My eyes shall see not another
but only your face;
my body shall cleave only to your body;
my mind shall
feel the ease in the two we
are to be.

This marriage
is the joining
of separate people
who vow to become one
and be
each one for the other
consummating not ours but
Love's Needs.