"Until death do you part, will you take her hand in marriage?"
"I do," he said
"And you?"
She stood on the red carpet in her white gown, holding his hand,
Thinking of another man.



Do you remember the day I stood atop the balcony
Waiting for you
And you
Appeared with a bouquet
Of balloons
Red orange yellow green blue indigo violet teal purple magenta peach ruby pink
lavender maroon amber navy burgundy charcoal marigold cream turquoise emerald
aqua olive sapphire lilac
—All the colours of the world
Why not white, I had wondered
But before I could ask
You smiled
And they
Soared as pigeons do
Blooming wild rainbows
As they dangled
Do you still remember?

                 marigold                   olive                             burgundy
yellow                                                  ­         amber          peach
                                            ­ lavender              sapphire                                   ­      blue
        indigo            orange                            ­ruby
                          turquoise                         ­                      emerald                 aqua
                                                            ­   violet                               magenta
             cream                                                           lilac                                            navy
           ­                                    purple                                                         red
                           maroon                                              green
       ­         charcoal                          
                                                                ­                                          pink
                  ­                                                                 ­                                                                 ­ teal
                                                      indigo­

but not white



"No, I will not!"
Gasps were exchanged between frantic looks.
But the bride was gone
Without her white shoes or white gown—

How she wished she could.

"Miss, your answer?"
Why not white, she had wondered
But she already knew,
There were never white balloons
And there never would,
She squeezed his fingers
Now white was all the colour she would have.
"I do."