Looking at you, I've missed my train of thought.
Forever blue, earth in a flowerpot.

In the Bible it is written,
   among the "Thees" and "Thows";
Just what I promised you,
   in these our wedding vows.

I promised you forever,
   is how long you'd feel my love;
No matter what the struggle,
   ever come to push or shove.

I promised you I'd stand by you,
   from then 'til Heaven calls;
I'd hold you tight and comfort you,
   to never let you fall.

I promised you I'd hold your hand,
   all through life's weary way;
I'd guide you and protect you,
   grow closer day by day.

I promised to defend you,
   to stand up for my bride;
To make you first within my life,
   and put all else aside.

I promised you I'd be the man,
   My God would have me be;
I'd show you kindness in our life,
   our marriage I would lead.

I promised you I'd comfort you,
   forever keep you safe;
To wrap you up with loving arms,
   my arms your sacred place.

With those few vows I said to you,
   forever was my goal;
And here we are still so in love,
   since 50 years ago!

(for ed hart)

well, you fell out of a tree
(beguiling, bewitching, the tips of the branches
long fingers gesturing to you, whispering
listen, kid, i got a secret to tell you.)
and, boom, that was the first time your collarbone got busted up.
maybe later you were just daydreaming, or, more likely,
drunk on some boone’s farm or some girl,
anyway at some point you decided ******* it,
i’m just not falling anymore,
but there was always some cracked pavement
or some tree root hidden by a patch of grass
you missed with the mower,
a million sundry distractions besides,
and one day don’t you just know
that you stuck your hand down  to catch yourself
(of course, you knew how **** stupid that was
the moment you reached earthward,
but the die already cast and all that nonsense)
and, bam, there’s a wrist, snapped like dry kindling.
well, maybe, if your’re lucky enough
and the right angels are looking out for you,
you live long enough to figure out that you’re gonna fall,
and the trick is to hit and roll on your good shoulder.

In the morning
Waking up to terrible sunlight
All diffuse like skin abuse
The sun is half its size
When you talk,
You hardly even look in my eyes
In the morning, in the morning
In the doorway
Holding every letter that I wrote
In the driveway, pulling away
Putting on your coat
In the ocean
Washing off my name from your throat
In the morning, in the morning
In the ocean
Washing off my name from your throat
In the morning, in the morning
When the tide came in
The isles would never let you stay
In the nighttime, with the light on
Every light, all day
In the ocean,
Leaving me no time to obey
In the morning, in the morning
In the ocean
Washing off my name from your throat
In the morning, in the morning