“Poems and Verses”
Apache Tribal Wedding Poem
Now for you there is no rain
For one is shelter to the other.
Now for you there is no darkness
For one is counsel to the other.
Now for you there is no pain
For one is comfort to the other.
Now for you there is no night
For one is light to the other.
Now for you there is no cold
For one is warmth to the other.
Now for you the snow has ended, always
Your fears, your wants, your needs are at rest.
It is that way today, tomorrow and forever.
Now it is good and there is always shelter.
And now there is always one.
And now there is no loneliness.
Now, forever, forever you are as one.
There are two bodies.
But now there is only one heart in both
And you are as one person.
Cherokee Wedding Prayer
God in heaven above please protect the ones we love.
We honor all you created as we pledge our hearts and lives together.
We honor Mother Earth and ask for our marriage to be abundant
and grow stronger through the seasons.
We honor Fire and ask that our union
be warm and glowing with love in our hearts.
We honor Wind and ask that we sail through life
safe and calm as in our father’s arms.
We honor Water to clean and soothe our relationship
that it may never thirst for love.
With all the forces of the universe you created,
we pray for harmony and true happiness
as we forever grow young together.
Weddings at Sea
Love one another, but make not a bond of love.
Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls.
Fill each other’s cup but drink not from one cup.
Give one another of your bread but eat not from the same loaf.
Sing and dance together and be joyous, but let each of you be alone.
Give your heats but no t into each other’s keeping
for only the hand of Life can contain your hearts.
And stand together yet not too near together
for the pillars of a temple stand apart
and the oak tree and cypress tree grow not in each other’s shadows.
Many storms may be encountered as well as many bright sunny days.
How you adjust the course of your lives
to guide your ship of marriage throughout your time together
will determine your safe passage to a distant port of happiness
and a lifetime of peaceful harmony together.
“The Prophet”
(excerpt)
You were born together, and together you shall be forevermore.
You shall be together when the white wings of death scatter your days.
Ay, you shall be together even in the silent memory of God.
But let there be space in your togetherness,
And let the winds of the heavens dance between you.
Love one another, but make not a bond of love:
Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls.
Fill each other’s cup but drink not from one cup.
Give one another of your bread but eat not from the same loaf.
Sing and dance together and be joyous, but let each of you be alone.
Even as the strings of a lute are alone though they quiver with the same music.
Give your hearts, but not into each other’s keeping.
For only the hand of Life can contain your hearts.
And stand together yet not too near together:
For the pillars of the temple stand apart,
And the oak tree and the cypress grow not in each other’s shadow.
– Kahilil Gibran
Biblical Verses
Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God.
– Ruth 1:16 (St. James Version)Love is very patient, very kind. Love knows no jealousy; love makes no parade, gives itself no airs, is never rude, never selfish, never irritated, never resentful. Love is never glad when others go wrong, love is gladden by goodness, also slow to expose, always eager to believe the best, always hopeful always patient. Love will never disappear.
– 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 (Living Bible)