#epithalamion
*
The mountains skip like rutting rams;
The turtledove is cooing soft;
Like fleecy lambs,
The floating cloudlets freely frolic far aloft;
The fruiting fig tree offers figs; the vine
Grows grapes prepared to wine;
The wedding bed is green; and wedded life
Begins for Jesus Christ, the Son of Man, and Wife.
Th'angelic quire has tun'd each voice
To one accord and thusly make
A joyful noise
Sweeter than angel food (or fairground funnel) cake.
The birds and bees of Heav'n are in the mood
For love; the day's as good
As good could ever be; and every life
That here is bearing witness loves the Man and Wife.
Dearly belovèd bride—betroth'd
No more—enjoy your faith's reward!
Gorgeously cloth'd
In modest chastity you only could afford
By making daily sacrifices, Queen
Of queens—whose vast demesne
Is Paradise—you fit the crown of life
More than a conqueror through Him who loves His Wife.
Glory to God who gave to man
Woman, that they should be one flesh
And share one span
Of life, who made the groom and bride, who now enmesh,
Eternal, and who gives away the bride
Unto the Son who died
For her, yet rose to resurrected life,
That they could live forevermore as Man and Wife.
No greater love has man than this:
To lay his life down for his friends.
In wedded bliss
The Lord who died for us, whose will nor breaks nor bends,
His countenance more fair than Lebanon,
Shall hereby henceforth, on
And on, through time eternal, share one life
With her, His bride, through endless time as Man and Wife.
Lord Christ is God, and God is love,
And God is love in overplus.
Come from above,
By lovingkindness, Jesus Christ is love with us.
Rivers of living water (Christ's love) flow
And floating gardens grow.
The way, the truth, the love, the light, the life
Of men and women, Christ with love will sate His Wife.
The father of the bride and groom
Blesses the current new good news:
Th'eternal bloom
That is this rose of Sharon shall not fade nor lose
The savour of its fragrant blossoms white,
Pink, purple, blue, red, blight-
Untainted, perfect as the spotless life
That lives within this Man and now His spotless Wife.
One life, one love, one soul, one house
One home, one spirit, by God's grace
To spouse and spouse
Belong, provided to the bride who sought God's face.
The Lord provides; the bride no dowry brings.
With eager hands she clings
His hands in hers, and holding onto Life,
The man and woman mix their lives as Man and Wife.
The truelove bride of Christ (the one
Good man and perfect alpha male)
Shines like the sun
And puts the happy ending on the Hero's tale.
All that is good and great and true and fair
Are present in the pair
That here embarks upon a wedded life
Still to remain for one forever Man and Wife.
The veil is lifted. See, O see
The comely bride who is no more
A bride-to-be!
The sacred rite perform'd, O come let us adore
Him and His help meet. Bless the Lord, my soul,
My soul, O with your whole
Heart! and rejoice! for Love an endless life
Possesses, all is right, and you're the Goodman's Wife!
*
Feb 27, 2023
Feb 27, 2023 at 1:13 PM UTC