Epithelamium: A lyric ode in honor of a bride and bridegroom.
You might not think this has much application in our everyday life. I guess you'd be right. I came across it listening to Billy Collins talk about being Poet Laureate, and how at least he never was given a task such as that which Britain's Poet Laureate, Andrew Motion had to write on the wedding of Charles and Camilla.
The poem:
Spring Wedding
I took your news outdoors, and strolled a while
In silence on my square of garden-round
Where I could dim the roar of arguments
Ignore the scandal-flywheel whirring round'
And hear instead the green fuse in the flower
Ignite, the breeze stretch out a shadow-hand
To ruffle blossom on its sticking points,
The blackbirds sing, and singing take their stand.
I took your news outdoors, and found the Spring
Had honored all its promises to start
Disclosing how the principles of earth
Can make a common purpose of the heart.
The heart which slips and sidles like a stream
Weighed down by winter-wreckage near its source--
But given time, and come the cleaning rain,
Breaks loose to revel in its proper source.
Good thing Collins didn't write this. He'd have lost all credibility in my eyes.
Which brings us to our second vocabulary word:
vapid: adj. lacking, or having lost life, sharpness or flavor; insipid; flat.
For all of that, quite the daunting task. As one was told early on: "If you can't say anything good..." Looks like Motion found a compromise.
[Image from The Age]
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