Robert Wyllie

Kate's Wedding

Brown jewel boxes show their rhinestones, lay
in rows and grow to pool and palace
as we fall from the sky approaching Love
(behold the breadth of treeless Dallas,
to the west, the green and breezeless Brazos)
like a knife-blade cutting brilliant clouds,
a-shudder, tremble handled;

                                                     the ring.

Now join your right hands. Brilliant shrouds,
live oaks (Not pictured: a panting bear
in sweltering sleep at shady Baylor),

a shakily cut cake. Her father blesses

the trees. Thus Katherine married Taylor.

Robert Wyllie is an assistant professor of political science at Ashland University and a contributing editor to The Lamp magazine.