What if you don't believe

Had a strange one recently. Someone asked me to write a poem for a wedding - I didn't know the couple but it was a nice person who liked my poems needing something to read at their wedding. Odd predicament. I'm not a huge wedding fan, have never wanted to be married, never dreamed of white dresses, still not changing my mind ten years in to long 'committed' relationship with child etc...In fact I pretty much hate the whole idea of weddings and marriage and the more Tory MPs insist it is the solution to all life's problems the more I feel the opposite. Some time ago I wrote 'A wedding poem (not to be read at weddings)' (on website for anyone who's interested - under Occasions) pretty much taking the piss out of weddings and that's been quite a lucky poem for me. Could I now write a wedding poem that wouldn't offend anyone on one of those 'big days'? Was I the right person for the job?

I decided it was a challenge so in the end I asked the person concerned for information about the couple and said I would give it a go but couldn't promise anything. It turned out that a poem did appear (I find they either fall out or they just don't!) and I was quite pleased with it and so was the person who will be reading it out later this summer. The poem is honest - I can't write any other way - and it's about hopes for the future ...which is about all the future ever is. I still think weddings are overrated, unnecessary and a big con but hey, that's just me. Good luck to the rest of you...