A piece of our wedding ceremony...

(read to perfection, seven years ago, by our lovely friend Darcy!)

Resignation - Nikki Giovanni

I love you
because the Earth turns round the sun
because
the North wind blows north
sometimes
because the Pope is Catholic
and most Rabbis Jewish
because winters flow into spring
and the air clears after a storm
because only my love for you despite the charms of gravity
keeps me from falling off the Earth
into another dimension
I love you because it is the natural order of things
I love you like the habit I picked up in college
of sleeping through lectures
or saying I'm sorry
when I get stopped for speeding
because I drink a glass of water
in the morning
and chain-smoke cigarettes
all through the day
because I take my coffee Black
and my milk with chocolate
because you keep my feet warm
though my life a mess
I love you because I don't want it any other way
I am helpless
in my love for you
It makes me so happy
to hear you call my name
I am amazed you can resist
locking me in an echo chamber
where your voice reverberates
through the four walls sending me into spasmatic ecstasy I love you
because it's been so good
for so long
that if I didn't love you
I'd have to be born again
and that is not a theological statement
The Dells tell me Love
is so simple
the thought though of you
sends indescribably delicious multitudinous thrills throughout and through-in my body
I love you
because no two snowflakes are alike
and it is possible if you stand tippy-toe
to walk between the raindrops
I love you
because I am afraid of the dark
and can't sleep in the light
because I rub my eyes
when I wake up in the morning
and find you there
because you with all your magic powers were
determined that I should love you
because there was nothing for you but that
I would love you
I love you because you made me
want to love you
more than I love my privacy
my freedom my commitments
and responsibilities
I love you `cause I changed my life to love you
because you saw me one friday
afternoon and decided that I would love you
I love you I love you I love you