And It Is Good

north of New York City
where the Hudson River narrows enough
that a great bridge can be built
to connect the mid-Atlantic with New England,
here above this great river
which flows from mountain and farmland
through a harbor that welcomes everyone

Liz and Ike are wed,

so different the journeys that preceded their own paths
two paths that intersected and then could not diverge,
the power of their attraction to each other
elemental as the river flowing below
a force of nature they did not deny
they could not deny,
together they are a whole
as if something rent asunder becomes one again,

and from all over the country
we are drawn to the bonding
to laugh and cry and dance
and celebrate how whole we can be,

time and the river flow
but for a moment all stops
and husband and wife are one,
and it is good.

by Henry Walker
July 29, 2002