“Thank you, Dad,” she whispered as I walked her down the aisle.

“I’ll not forget the way you planned this minute and this hour.

Our gratitude will live forever, blessings from we two.”

To celebrate my daughter’s marriage should provoke my tears,

tiers of towering wedding cake, not six, not seven but eight!

Ate by hungry wedding guests who never would say “no”.

Know this, daughter, special girl, you'll propagate my genes;

jeans your brother sports today, swung on his hips so low.

Lo, your beauty pays such tribute to your mother, Ann;

an inspiration for young women, now and days gone by.

Bye bye blues, we’ll sing and dance and raise a glass on high.

“Hi, g’day, our special friends, let’s toast this joyful day!”