(for Donna and Eric Just celebrating 40 years of marriage)

Look at your incredible adventures
spread out in snapshots,

from meeting in the college night band
that led to a first date and a second date

and then the yellowed clipping announcing
your engagement, all the way to the now of

you two grandparents holding Henry, the boy
you happily tote around on weekdays.

And in between a wedding and a first house,
then a second house, then a third, and two babies,

Nonen and Kebbin, they called each other,
who grew to be Lauren and Kevin,

and they married and became families
on their own, adding a Gerald and an Ashley

to the mix. And kitties and doggies and
fishfishfish in the tank, and band and choir

and Little League and friends and trips
to Europe chaperoning high school kids.

One of you teaching, painting, playing with clay.
One of you a traveling physical therapist.

hosting family gathering after family gathering,
celebrating birthdays and holidays and

graduations and weddings. Caring for the elders,
mourning those who moved into mystery.

You’ve done good for so many. You’ve done well
in every way. How fortunate are we who

revolve in your blessedly wide orbit,
a testament to love, a wonderful life,

indeed.