on the nature of love…

Ah summer!  The idyllic time of year, so nice to sit upon the beach or to lay under a large green tree, gazing aloft as clouds drift by, or perhaps we pick fresh berries and eat pie a’la mode, or that time honored tradition, to idle away hours with a really good book.

My summer reading shall be upon the nature of love.   (Well, with little E around, I shall also read aloud Dr Seuss, Beatrix Potter, etc. but the point remains…summer is here.)

With the theme of love firm in my mind, off I dashed to the South Portland Library to grab an armload of poetry, from Sappho to Anne Sexton, from Rumi to Pablo Neruda, with all viewpoints in between.  How rich this field!!

Throughout the summer, love poetry will adorn our Art Farm.

You see, our dear friends, planning their September wedding, have asked me to help.  More precisely, to serve as official for their ceremony, their Notary Public.  Now, this is entirely new to me, and at hearing their request I was speechless and without breath.  But of course, yes, I do!

And so off I set now to help craft their ceremony and to give voice to the song deep in their hearts.  One fine place to start this odyssey might be these lines from Rumi:

I, you, he, she, we

in the garden of mystic loves

these are not true

distinctions

Another starting point, prudent and practical, would be the State of Maine, Department of the Secretary of State, “Notary Public Handbook and Resource Guide”, from which I quote:

“Often, couples want other persons involved in the ceremony.  This is not an issue; however, the Notary Public must, without exception, (sic) do the exchanging of the vows and make the pronouncement of marriage in addition to signing the marriage license.

Official: As an expression of your mutual desires and purpose of being joined in marriage, you will please join hands.

(Addressing the man by name): Do you take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife, promising to love, honor and cherish her, and in all respects to be a faithful husband so long as you both shall live?

Answer: I do.

Official: (Addressing the woman by name): Do you take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband, promising to love, honor and cherish him, and in all respects to be a faithful wife, so long as you both shall live?

Answer: I do.

(Rings may then be placed on the fingers.) 

Official: Since you have entered into this honorable estate of matrimony by mutual promises, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the State of Maine, I now pronounce you husband and wife.