The Bride's First Footing - Missing Alan's Wedding

As my brother Alan lies recovering from a triple whammy I am lamenting not being able to visit with him. He went in to routine colonoscopy, was diagnosed as having had a myocardal infarct, and was whipped away to have his mitral valves tightened up, and during recovery, optical irregularity caused the surgeons to question why and this resulted in a diagnosis of and immediate treatment for a Pituitary tumor.

I had a similar sense of remorse when I could not attend his wedding on a New Years Day back in 1977. Here is a poem about that.

The Bride’s First Footing
Saturday January 1st 10.30 a.m. 1977 For my brother Alan and Nada, whose wedding I could not attend.

Brother Roland, Mike and Brenda, Sandy who
Took photographs,
John McNairn in kilt for show
Like Don MacLeod who read Gibran, and Brenda’s dad
Are all now in my holographs,

My synthesis of that missed New Year’s Day
When crisply lay the snow,
As Alan and Nada plied their troths
With special permission from the Bishop
So many years ago.

I wish I’d been there in my kilt, bearing gifts, to watch them
Blissfully take the oath,
And communion, bread and wine,
Then in the library by the fire share Big Chris’ cake
And hug and kiss them both.

Then out in the country at Brenda’s mother’s house
To be there as they dine.
“The luckiest First Footers of the year.”
Trouping off to Gretta’s to bless her with Nada’s posie
In atmosphere of love divine.

I wish I shared the memory
Of the day when you were wed
Not raising New Year glasses
In Hollywood instead.

Brother Roland, Mike and Brenda, Sandy
the photographer,
Kilted John who sang the songs
And Don MacLeod who read, and Brenda’s dad
Who gave the bride,
Lie far off in the memory now!