Romantic Selections of WEDDING READINGS

Put your hand on my heart, say that you love me as
The woods upon the hill cleave to the hills’ contours.
I will uphold you, trunk and shoot and flowering sheaf,
And I will hold you, roots and fruit and fallen leaf.

The board floats on the river.
The board wants nothing but is pulled from beneath on into deeper waters.

And the elephant dwelling on the mountain wants a trumpet so its dying cry can be heard by the stars.

The wakeful heron striding through reeds at dawn wants the god of sun and moon to see his long skinny neck.

You must say what you want.
I want to be the man and I am who will love you when your hair is white.

Why should your face so please me
That if one little line should stray
Bewilderment would seize me
And drag me down the tortuous way

Out of the noon into the night?
But so, into this tranquil light
You raise me.

How could our minds so marry
That, separate, blunder to and fro,
Make for a point, miscarry,
And blind as headstrong horses go?
Though now they in their promised land
At pleasure travel hand in hand
Or tarry.

This concord is an answer
To questions far beyond our mind
Whose image is a dancer.
All effort is to ease refined
Here, weight is light; this is the dove
Of love and peace, not heartless love
The lancer.

And yet I still must wonder
That such an armistice can be
And life roll by in thunder
To leave this calm with you and me.
This tranquil voice of silence, yes,
This single song of two, this is
A wonder.

When two people are at one in their inmost hearts

They shatter even the strength of iron or of bronze;

And when two people understand each other in their inmost hearts

Their words are sweet and strong like the fragrance of orchids.

When you came, you were like red wine and honey;
And the taste of you burnt my mouth with its sweetness.
Now you are like morning bread,
Smooth and pleasant.
I hardly taste you at all for I know your savour.
But I am completely nourished.