The minibus pulled up And out poured The most colourful procession. Greens and purples and pinks Flowers and stripes. But most of all smiles. A chaos of happiness.
And we added to the mix. Carried by the wave of joy into Fish and chips and love And champagne in tea cups. Of friends and relatives reacquainted Or met for the first time.
The cavalcade spilled out on to the hills in different directions. A Prince Charles mask and a Johnny Cash song. You could almost see the cartoon smoke pouring from the bus and quavers and crotchets floating out the windows Combining with the laughs and squeals.
The rings arrive too late But it's never too late and so the ceremony restarts and fast forwards To its completion with all present and correct. And so the procession moves on. Tumbles down the hill and into the bells and ‘heys’ of the Morris dancers.
Sticks clack and knees raise. And cider is drunk And cheese is eaten with A good dollop of chutney. And with joy still filling the air and the trail of happiness still fresh in the mind The carnival disperses. But it left with more than it started with. New friends, new bonds, new wife, new husband.