Wedding Poem by Gert Strydom

1
I wait with hope and fear for the hour,
in the distance chimes the bell
its own discord from a church-tower
no sign does your presence tell
I pray to God silently for power,
thundering the noise of the organ swell,
2
over rows full of familiar faces my eyes rove,
while expectantly we all wait
for you who I do above any other love,
my heart soars and again do dilate,
the organ dies down, doves coo from above,
and seeing you dressed in white I anticipate.
3
Through the painted windows comes dim light.
'Gloria Patri' echoes the antiphon,
in the corner rise incense silver-white.
'Nunc et in saecula' some people do intone,
now I have more expectancy than fright,
I can smell the best-man's cologne.
4
Awake with a marriage on hold I am without you,
I do remember us taking wine and bread
at our wedding as some couples do,
the Jewish-like prayer cloth over my head
while we vowed to be to each other true,
about sincere love from the Bible the pastor said.

[Poet's note: This is in no way an attack on the Roman Catholic Church. In the poet's mind the setting and signs in that Christian denomination were ideal for this poem where at a wedding love is deemed to be true against a broken relationship where it might be not.]
© Gert Strydom