… and he turns and looks me in the eyes, <br />Unblinking, <br />Unflinching, <br />Utterly gorgeous <br />(no surprise) : <br />and from memory <br />he says to me <br /> <br />‘I promise to love you; <br />respect you; <br />protect you; <br />honour you; <br />to live life to the full with you <br />and be your MAN. Always’. <br /> <br />This is how it happened that day. <br /> <br />And I turn and look the Registrar in the eyes, <br />(take him, I think, a touch by surprise) , <br />blinking, <br />flinching, <br />and am forced to say <br />(to parental dismay) <br /> <br />‘I can barely remember my own name today; <br />I will read my vows, if perhaps I may’. <br /> <br />And so I turn to my almost-husband, <br />prepare to don his wedding band <br />and through joy-teared eyes I vow, and say: <br />‘I promise always to love you, <br />and all that real love entails. <br />You said it. We know it. <br />I love you. Always’. <br /> <br /> <br />And ‘Always’ begins each day anew; <br />You always for me, as I am for you. <br />Stronger and firmer with each passing day. <br /> <br />I never thought life could have been this way. <br /> <br />A one-liner the vows indeed may have been... <br />but my memory fades in realisation of dreams. <br /> <br />By saying what we say <br />every single day, <br />I could have kept vows more simple for me: <br /> <br />‘I love you; I live you; I life you, D’. <br /> <br /> <br />xxxxxxx<br /><br />Tara Sloblock<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/forgetting-the-vows/
