[p o e t r y]

A Camper's Wedding

I hope these campers
Know joy always
And never pain

This week
A camper told me
That her buddy
Would be her bridesmaid
When she got married

My heart clenched when I heard those words
And though I hope
My smile never faltered
My happiness cracked just a smidge  

I know she will
Likely never get married
It's rare for people
In the disability world

But she doesn't know that

And my hope is she never will

Although it's a painful reality
For those of us who do understand
I pray she never does
I pray that she'll spend the rest of her days
However many she has
Planning her wedding
Her bridesmaids
And her dress
I pray the joy she feels
Never ends
I hope she smiles and hopes and dreams
For all of her days
And I hope she never has to face
The truth that I think I know

And most of all,
I hope I'm wrong
I hope she does wed
And against all odds
I hope everything she dreams of in life
Isn't just a joy she carries
But a joy she gets to live out

(07/27/22)