Wedding

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by Alice Oswald


From time to time our love is like a sail
and when the sail begins to alternate
from tack to tack, it’s like a swallowtail
and when the swallow flies it’s like a coat;
and if the coat is yours, it has a tear
like a wide mouth and when the mouth begins
to draw the wind, it’s like a trumpeter
and when the trumpet blows, it blows like millions....
and this, my love, when millions come and go
beyond the need of us, is like a trick;
and when the trick begins, it’s like a toe
tip-toeing on a rope, which is like luck;
and when the luck begins, it’s like a wedding,
which is like love, which is like everything.

Comments

Dino said…
I love this poem. the trumpet blows is like quarrels between the lovers. and the wedding is like to walk on a rope. it need very very careful to manager all things so that everything go well. That's love!
11/08/2007 6:16 PM
Unknown said…
I read this poem at my sister's wedding. I wish I could've slowed down while reading it during the ceremony. Try reading it aloud--it picks up speed relentlessly, and it's hard to pace the poem.

And it's so beautiful. When I read this poem, it always strikes me as...well, I can never make sense of it in a "line-to-line" fashion. But every time, when I finish the poem, I feel so full. I feel like the feeling of love has been explained, even if I don't understand it. Maybe that's the point, or maybe it's not.

The point is, "Wedding" makes me feel like I understand and don't understand 'Love' at the same time. And as far as I'm concerned, a poem addressing "Love" should do just that.
3/31/2011 9:32 PM
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