Wedding Day Blues Poem by Linda Harnett

Mother wakes me, with a smile,
Opens curtains, sun is shining,
Have to hurry, get hair done,
Church is booked, be there at one,
“Are you happy? Yes of Course, ”
Am I happy? I don’t know,
Feel despondent, sense foreboding,
Hog the bathroom, now I’m soaking,
Do my make up, try to smile,
Panic over, flowers arrive,
All around me, sounds of laughter,
Happy bride is what they’re after,
Look through window, car will wait,
White Mercedes at the gate,
White organza, then the lace,
Clip the veil on, hide my face,
Now I’m ready, time to go,
Neighbours wait, confetti thrown,
Get to church, here comes the bride,
Biting lip, I step inside,
At the alter, there he stands,
I arrive, he takes my hand,
Vicar says, “We’re gathered here ….”,
I feel panic, gripped with fear,
“Do you take this”, I think not,
I look at him, so full of hope,
Could I simply turn and run,
This don’t feel right, this ain’t fun,
Too far gone now, no escape,
I reply, “I do”, I fake,
Sign the papers, now it’s legal,
Come outside, this feels fatal,
Church bells ring, confetti thrown,
Tomorrow we fly out to Rome,
Then Grand Hotel in Paris, France,
Oh how I wish, I felt Romance.