AGAIN

Only those among us 

who’ve lost one love of their life, 

only to find another,

can even begin to appreciate

the cosmic sweep of their emotional odyssey, 

but here these two stand before us as a new one. 

Here they stand together, stand strong. Again.

Each has spent their three long days,

and even longer nights, in the hell called loss.

Each has traversed--somehow--the murky depths 

where grief has unleashed its full fury upon them,

sinking its venomous talons deep into their souls,

but here these two stand before us as a new one. 

Here they stand together, stand strong. Again.

Here, a wedding of hearts, of healings, of hopes. 

They’ve not just found love, but been found by love,

its sweet caress returning to anoint with joy. 

Here they stand together, stand strong. Again.

And here we stand beside them, stand strong, 

stand as one with them--in witness, in delight, in thanksgiving.

As of today, there is a new holy of holies in the universe.

As for tomorrow, the one that can feel a forever away,

it has actually come. It came today. Came to stay.

Love made it happen. Again.