equal footing.

girlish fantasies were never my thing
castles, dresses,
tiaras and curls
weddings, most of all
never chanced my youthful mind
a-whirl with dreams of independence,
and the heights a life
of solitude could obtain.

yet, the bill passed
motion carried
despite the jargon, wedded bliss
is that much clearer
for me, for us.

it would be a relatively small affair
but not amass with relatives
intimate, personal
with the friends who cared for us
supported us
they could wear what they liked
be themselves, as we could finally be
no restraints, no social exclusion or code
freedom, and respect, as we now deserved
a wedding of colour, personality, difference
celebrating a common cause
of equality

no gay rights marching band, though
a group of friends, I imagine,
musically talented, or not so much
as long as they were laughing
I wouldn't care, I wouldn't be listening much
eyes, ears, hands, feet, all irrevocably focused
on my new centre of being, the point
at which gravity pulled towards
to keep me rooted on earth
her body adorned in lace and white
mine, who knows
a suit, maybe
but I think I might quite like a dress
after all

two veiled brides
standing tall
atop an undercover chocolate cake
none of that fruity stuff
food and wine to keep us going through the night
an assortment of bridesmaids
gleaming and giggling
and best men, smart and dashing
why not have both?
nothing can stop us now

and a compromise, my love
not in a church, but on a beach
or in a valley, or a forest
littered with falling leaves
because God will always be more present
in the waves, and the hills, and in the branches
of tall trees, ascending skywards
than in any bricks and mortar built
He'll smile, you see
and be with us, and
you'll smile, and I'll smile
matching rings glinting in the sunlight
hand in hand,
and we'll start something wonderful
beginning where we left off
from the precious day before
our lives together
on equal footing with the rest of the world

and that will make all the difference.