Vows

• Read on Medium
• Back to Writing

We wrote our own vows
But I do not remember them
Childish words from
Children’s lips
While children grew
Children
Inside
Childish bellies
We pledged life or love or
Forever
Like we knew what forever was

The morning of the wedding
I sliced the bottom of my
Fourth toe on
A piece of broken mirror
Some sort of
Soul or sole
Symbolic
Just south of the finger
On which I’d wear his ring
Take his name
Bear his children
Betray him
Leave him
Return

Do you think there should be
Starter marriages
I ask him
Recently
Three year mini commitments
So you know you know
Before you vow you know
And he agrees
Laughing
Lined brow wrinkling
Over blue brown eyes
That have betrayed me
Left me
And returned

We wrote our own vows
But I do not remember them
I write this life
Half spent in his arms
Half spent running
Half spent returning
Instead