When I was asked to write a poem for our 1976 Valentine Banquet program for pastors and spouses, I came up with a poem that is a favorite of my children and many friends. The poem is a fun piece about married love and is full of chiches and inside jokes for pastors by design. I hope it adds to the charm of the poem.
WE
I was I and he was he . . . A ceremony made us "we.”
When in the sight of God and men . . .
We pledged our troth and kissed our kin
And set our sails . . . breathlessly
On the matrimony sea.
My handsome prince . . . He held my hand.
My every wish . . . was his command
Until one day . . . I said, "I think we . . .
Should see my friends . . . More frequently.
He said, so loud . . . It shook the house
That he was man . . . and not a mouse
And furthermore . . . he said we should
See his friends more . . . he said we would.
He said, we would . . . most certainly
I said, we won't . . . We both said "we"
Strange, when we do . . . Or don't agree
One thing is clear . . . We both say "we"
Now that's the secret . . . For love to grow
Through Summer's sun . . . and Winter's snow
Through diaper rash . . . And teething ills
From P.T.A. . . . to college bills
Through three-point circuits . . . And inner-city
And Pastor Parish Relations Committee
Through Conference moving time . . . again
When you’re not one . . . of the bishop's men.
Through covered dishes . . . Well, thick and thin
Love like this . . . will never end
For when we do . . . or don't agree . . .
We still find joy . . . in being '"we".
by Ruth Baird Shaw ><>
12 comments:
...and i'm sure to this day you still say 'we'a- what a wonderful poem! ;-)
I've always loved that poem! But still not my favorite poem of yours. The light in the window is my favorite. Love you!
I love that poem too!
That is such a wonderful poem. It has always put a smile on my face.
That is beautiful! Thank you for sharing :)
It's one of my favorites too. It's a good lesson in marriage!
Grandmother I love that poem!
Aunt Ruth, here's my "amen" to the other comments. Very appropriate for Valentine's.
I have always liked that one, too, but I love to hear you read it. I love the inflections you put into the poem and always smile when you say "he roared." Thanks for sharing it again. :-)
I'm glad you put this online for the world at large, Mama. I've always enjoyed the poem.
The never-doubted-always-assumed-absolutely-committed "we" is the key to a strong marriage that is the serious message of your humorous poem. I have obsessed since 1970 about the idea that commitment is what separates infatuation from love. It was a actually secular thinker (Erick Fromm) who first made me conscious of the truth that I had witnessed less consciously in some of the strong Christian family relationships around me (you and daddy, Jan & Gil, Jessie and Roger, and others).
You may remember that I discussed this topic a little, and posted some of my poems on love and commitment, in December of 2005:
http://aloneonalimb.blogspot.com/2005/12/true-love-links.html
Grandmother, I just emailed this blog post to an engaged friend of mine. I thought she'd really enjoy it. Friday, at work, she was talking about combining bank accounts and changing her way of thinking from "hers" and "his" to "theirs." It made me think of your poem. I love it and think she'll enjoy it, too.
Excellent, poem thanks a lot for share, it's beautiful.
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