This was the reading I was asked to give at my sister’s wedding recently. I love the Internet, because a quick Google made it possible to find a recording of Frank O’Hara himself reading the poem, and I could hear his delivery before I had to read it myself in front of a crowd of people. Such a lovely poem too.
I also gave a speech at their reception. My sister had wanted an acknowledgement of the wrongness of excluding same-sex couples from the institution of marriage so I incorporated that theme into my speech about the significance of marriage (an ambitious topic for me given my partner and I don’t believe in marriage for ourselves). I asked how anyone could possibly question the equal legitimacy of same-sex relationships after reading poetry by gay and lesbian writers about love (like Frank O’Hara’s for instance), that obviously this love was as meaningful and beautiful as any heterosexual love.
It went down very well, preaching to the converted and all.
Here is Lauca fulfilling her flower girl duties. Yes, I was very awwwwwwwwwwwwwww.
Go allies! We need you out there preaching…even if it is to the converted.
That is a beautiful poem, and I have to echo Vikki; the support of our allies is of course one of the things we need most. Thank you, and thanks to your sister. And slightly belated congrats on your new little person!