Question 1

What is a good poem to read at a wedding ceremony?

Accepted Answer

A few that consistently work well: **"i carry your heart with me"** by E.E. Cummings (short, easy to remember, and emotionally direct), **"Union"** by Robert Fulghum (simple and warm), and **"The Owl and the Pussycat"** by Edward Lear for couples looking for something playful. For a more literary touch, **"Having a Coke with You"** by Frank O'Hara is a popular choice at modern ceremonies.

Question 2

Who wrote the most famous wedding poem?

Accepted Answer

That depends on how you define famous. **"How Do I Love Thee?"** by Elizabeth Barrett Browning is likely the most well-known wedding poem in English. E.E. Cummings's **"i carry your heart with me"** competes closely in terms of how often it's used in ceremonies. Pablo Neruda's **Sonnet XVII** ("I do not love you as if you were salt-rose") is the most sought-after when it comes to translations.

Question 3

What is a good short poem for a wedding reading?

Accepted Answer

**"I carry your heart with me"** by E.E. Cummings is a compact 12 lines that hits every note. **"Scaffolding"** by Seamus Heaney is another brief piece that delivers a powerful conclusion. For something even shorter, check out **"The Art of Marriage"** by Wilferd Arlan Peterson — while it's prose-poetry, it resonates with many readers.

Question 4

What poems are good for a non-religious wedding?

Accepted Answer

Mary Oliver's **"When Death Comes"** offers a fresh perspective on shared life, steering clear of religious themes. **"Having a Coke with You"** by Frank O'Hara is straightforward, secular, and humorously poignant. **"Touched by an Angel"** by Maya Angelou resonates with couples seeking emotional depth while avoiding dogma.

Question 5

Can I use a poem as my wedding vows?

Accepted Answer

Yes, many couples do this—either by reciting an entire poem as their vow or by taking a few lines and crafting their own words around them. Neruda's sonnets, Rumi's love poems, and Wendell Berry's **"The Country of Marriage"** are popular choices for this. Be sure to consult your officiant first, as some religious ceremonies require specific vow language.

Question 6

What is a funny poem for a wedding toast?

Accepted Answer

Ogden Nash penned a number of short, comic poems about marriage that still resonate today—**"A Word to Husbands"** is just four lines long and always gets a chuckle. **"To My Dear and Loving Husband"** by Anne Bradstreet leans toward the earnest side instead of funny, but it complements a humorous speech nicely. If you prefer something more irreverent, check out modern poets like **Taylor Mali** or look for light verse crafted specifically for toasts.

Question 7

What is the Apache wedding blessing poem?

Accepted Answer

The text starting with *"Now you will feel no rain, for each of you will be shelter to the other"* is often referred to as an Apache blessing, but its true origin is uncertain. Most scholars believe it comes from a 1947 novel by Elliott Arnold. While it’s a lovely sentiment that fits well in ceremonies, it’s important to recognize that it likely isn't a traditional Apache text.

Question 8

What poems work for a wedding card?

Accepted Answer

Short and warm is the aim for a card. A single Rumi couplet, the final stanza of **"i carry your heart with me,"** or a few lines from **"Scaffolding"** by Heaney all work perfectly. If you prefer to write something yourself, crafting a four-line rhyming stanza is simpler than it seems—just focus on the couple specifically instead of general notions of love.

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