His voice stretched like taffy,
sticky with sugar-coat and sprawling praise.
We chewed on each word,
our jaws aching before dessert arrived.
Forks clinked timidly against porcelain,
a background jazz to his opus.
Underneath the cascade of metaphors,
I watched my cousin swipe left,
her face a glowing rectangle of refuge.
Across the table, my sister scrolled
through photos of her dog —
posed in a hat, paws crossed politely.
My uncle spoke of "ever after,"
his sentences hot-glued with clichés,
while others built quiet fortresses,
their thumbs soft-hammering brick by brick.
The bride's smile seemed pasted on,
like the rosy sticker in a child's book.
When he finally paused to sip his water,
the table inhaled as one body, relieved.
And still, there was cake to come.
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Comments1
Such a good description of such gatherings whether weddings or reunions the all are much the same. Nicely imaged it gives the feel my friend
Thank you Soren
Most welcome my friend
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