A Wedding in the Adirondacks

After the champagne toasts,
the fine bottles of red and white,
the sugary dessert wine,
the speeches in Spanish and
English, the bride and groom
were led across to the aero-
service to ride a seaplane
sweeping above forest and lakes,
around the High Peak point
after guests showered bird seed
instead of typical confetti.
We hurried to the bridge
to watch a roaring take-off.
The Best Man, a church bell
ringer, arranged everyone
heart-shaped on the beach sand
to greet the pair returning,
as we sang for the bride's birthday.
And as we dropped our hands we felt
how hard it was to let go.

​--
Royal Rhodes is a poet and retired teacher. His chief delight is hearing from many former students whose lives are helping to heal the world.