Day 7 of #VerseLove with James Coates: Things (Better) Left Unsaid

James Coates is our host today for the 7th day of #VerseLove2024. You can read his full prompt here, along with the poems of others. Today, James inspires us to write poems about a time when everything seemed wonderful and possible, using a form such as a Tanka or Choka. He explains that a Chōka is a Japanese poem of indefinite length, consisting of alternating lines of 5 and 7 syllables, with an extra 7-syllable line at the end.

My brother’s wedding yesterday was all of this and more – everything wonderful and possible- and I can’t wait to write poems and share pictures of the bride and groom once they have shared photos and made their social media announcements first, but I will follow rules of social media etiquette by waiting my turn with permission to reveal photos of their big day. Their dancing recessional out of the church doors brought to mind our own wedding day as we made our way down the aisle after our vows. It went something like this:

Hallelujah!

on my way down the
aisle, I leaned into the sound
booth and grinned at my brother
Let's change the music!
Only the recessional.  

The Hallelujah Chorus
seemed far more fitting

an eleventh-hour switch-hit
change at the bottom 
of the ninth inning
might bring a grand-slam homerun

amused wedding guests chuckled
three ministers laughed
as we made our way into
happily ever after