Slowly I married her
slowly and bitterly married her love
married her body
in boredom and joy

Slowly I came to her
slow and restfully came to her bed
came to her table
in hunger and habit
came to be fed

Slowly I married her
sanctioned by none
with nobody’s name
amid general warnings
amid general scorn
came to her fragrance
my nostrils wide
came to her greed
with seed for a child

Years in the coming
and years in retreat
slowly I married her
slowly I kneeled
and now we are wounded
so deep and so well
that no one can hurt us
except Death itself

And all through Death’s dream
I move with her lips
the dream is a night
but eternal the kiss
and slowly I come to her
slowly we shed
the clothes of our doubting
and slowly we wed