Pool_2

"I'm all right.... Baptism! Sacraments, Katharine, sacraments. You know, marriage is a do-it-yourself sacrament. The only one. The O N L Y one." "We can't marry without a minister.. or.. or.. a .. priest... can we?" She wasn't sure. In fact her voice gave away her evolving certainty that he was right. He engaged her, caressed her, every part of her, in love, giving himself to her as she to him, for that night, God as their witness, with rings twisted of threads torn from their rags, they were married. His wedding gift to her was whispered across cold stone:

Have you seen my ocean? Have you seen my bay? This soul of tears Is mist upon these waters, As a heartless reign drives us astray. Have you seen our jetty? Are there sailors at the pier? I 'd take your hand and sail away But artless hands would bind me here. My light house searches. Searches for me, In vain. A friendless circling gull laments. By God ! With you I'll sail again ! If.. only.. in.. an absence.

Her gift to him was her gift of family, "I give you my father, Da; my mother, Mary,