What an honour to have been asked to read at one of my best friend
@burarara_ ‘s marriage to
@sarahddd123 ❤️.
(Slide 2: School 2012 / Slide 4: Salamanca 2012 / Slide 6: Bura’s Stag 2025)
Couldn’t find the published words so I wrote something myself:
Kew Gardens
Finally.
At last,
I walk alone,
Here amongst the bluebells and magnolia.
Recovering from my long adventure
Between the palms
In the tropical greenhouse,
I am glad of the temperate air
That caresses my brows.
Finally
At last,
I imagine the two of us,
In the face of these
Bolivian waterlillies.
Colossal and gentle.
Don’t be scared.
I’ll put trust in your hand,
As I clasp it,
And carry you over
These giant stepping stones.
Finally.
At last,
The arboretum sings.
Oaken melodies,
At pinewood pitch,
In a redwood key.
I hum to its tune,
And I’m reminded
Of times
You would tie my shoelaces,
And stroke my hair.
I breathe with the sunflowers
As the wind whispers to me
These soothing vignettes.
Finally.
At last,
Silence amongst the dahlia’s.
I bring my face to meet one.
Enveloped by it,
I lean closer.
The wind picks up,
The whispers roar,
And in an instant,
It starts to grow.
Grow,
Grow until its stalks are legs,
Its petals,
Arms
It’s pistil,
A face.
It’s aroma,
Unchanged.
Finally,
At last,
There you are.
In Kew Gardens
At nightfall,
Under the phosphorescent stars.
