An April Wedding
A poem to commemorate the happy day.
There it was, a London wedding
Well-attended, hard to tell
Much about the happy couple
Stepping on that carousel
Only that a host of strangers
Stopped the day to wish them well
This young couple, leave them room
Sleepless bride
and shell-shocked groom
Each, a moment’s time alone
No one’s business but their own.
This was London, late in April
When a last few cherry trees
Threw confetti over pavements
Aided by a sterner breeze
Than deserved, on days like these
Days like these, when clouds go sculling
Ships in a capricious sky
Here a sudden shower ulling
There, the sun to wink its eye
Early morning, in the households
Preparations had begun
Cups of tea and pots of coffee
Guests emerging one by one
Hurried kissing, showers hissing
And an untouched orange juice
Swearwords from a walk-in wardrobe
Every mirror now in use.
Fussing over stubborn tresses
Tacking in the waists of dresses
Flubs and fluff and hanging threads
Hats which wouldn’t sit on heads
Absent buttons, smudges, smuts
All of fashion’s ifs and buts
Punctuation marks and dashes
Blemishes and shaving cuts
Which unwontedly appear
On complexions mostly clear
Soon, the cars-horns and the horses
And the “Aren’t you ready yet?”
While a step-mum checks her make-up.
Longing for a cigarette.
There it was; a London wedding
By Westminster, near the Thames
As the guests begin arriving
Tails and titfers, veils and hems
Waiting for the bride to follow
Or the bridesmaids and the mum
Friends of family with a sister
And the uncle – let him come
Suited, booted, coiffed and polished
Shaved and aftershaved or gelled
Greetings, manly claps on shoulders
And a handshake, firmly held
Now the blue-eyed groom arriving
Ushered steady to his pew
With an impish best-man grinning
Mouthing, “Don’t forget ‘I do.’”
This is how the English marry
Marinaded in tradition
With a whispered gag to counter
Any nervous disposition
Clergyman and congregation
His on one side, hers on other
Hankies, button-holes and flowers
Distant aunt and younger brother.
Oh, this is a London wedding
And they’ll all know where to sit
Panic over, for a minute
Once the doors are closed, that’s it.
Now it’s down to vows and rings
Marriage must involve such things.
With a “Do you take this woman?”
And a “Do you take this man?”
While the distant buses rumble
London carries on as can
Through “Let no man put asunder...”
Underground, the tube trains thunder.
Then, a carillon of churchbells
And the doors flung open wide
Camera flashes and a moment
For the bridegroom and the bride
Hypnotised, they’ll step outside
Thence, into the waiting carriage
Weather, sunny – maybe showers
As this represents a marriage
Quite as well as lace and flowers
This would be a London wedding
Streets are generous, buildings loom
Over rainwashed pavements crowded
They’ll applaud the bride and groom
Line the streets and stand for hours
Strangers once, exchanging words
Never seeing the trees above them
Or the parliament of birds
Waiting for the crumbs and morsels
Which the crowd will cast aside
These are lesser alms and favours
Of the bridegroom and the bride
What will they be like, these portraits
Viewed on dressers, desks and shelves
Over decades which will follow
For the bride and groom themselves?
Moments seen in fleeting flashbacks
Making sense, in bits and bats
Of an ocean blur of people
Suits and ties and wedding hats
Policeman, ushers, grooms and horses.
Cutlery and all the courses
Handshakes, kisses, salutations
Speeding past like railway stations
While the soundtrack of the movie
Echoes back in single edits
Brass bands, organs, strings and singing
Rolled too fast to catch the credits
Only when they put their feet up
Later in their living room
Unbelieving bride and groom
Now relaxing, in their jeans
Scarcely knowing this young couple
Splashed across the nation’s screens.
Or what all the hoo-ha means.
Now we come to final scenes.
Since this is a London wedding
Put aside the pomp and rah
In the end, they’re two young lovebirds
Getting spliced, that’s all they are
– Just in case we should digress –
Nothing more but nothing less
Last, the bride and groom appearing
Since the balcony shot is nearing
Which will do the public, nicely.
Cue a burst of seismic cheering
Timed 1.25 precisely
It’s a London wedding, this.
Freeze that kiss...