Watching A Wedding

Written on the occasion of my cousin Bill's wedding
to Jen
August, 22, 2009
Written during the ceremony


All I want for the world is peace
But how can a man like me
Make hatred cease?
I can see how we are torn apart
Through conflicts of God
And those of the heart
Those battles rage within my soul
I am not whole
I am incomplete
But yet I can never retreat
From the fight
I must do what is right
For myself, for all

I sit today in a church pew
And all I can do
Is hold back tears
This declaration of love
In front of people
And God above
Is pure
It is the one day
When you can be sure
That everything is right
The oncoming night
Is anticipated
The new couple’s love is celebrated
And that is good
That is how it should be
Worldwide
That is why these feelings inside me
Reflect the conflict all around
And the realization comes
That the only sound
I want to hear
Is the heartbeat of the one I love
Beside me everywhere

This is where peace begins
When two people love, everyone wins
Through hearts, through hands, through looks
Across miles and continents
This feeling is transmitted
If the world could be committed
To this constant propagation
We could end alienation
Hatred
War
What else is worth fighting for?
Tell me something more important
And I will give it all my dedication