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.

Short Poems About Weddingin twelve lines or fewer

Every poem in this theme

A CHAUCERIAN PARAPHRASE OF HORACE

e'.

JUNE

[st]'.

THE BRIDEGROOM.

THE CONTRACT was considered almost as binding as a marriage. Remember

Undine: In mythology and romance, Undine is a water-spirit who

z'.

More short editions beyond wedding

Short poems about funeral

Short poems about christmas

Short poems about easter