Kahlil Gibran, the Lebanese/American poet, published The Prophet in 1921, after six years of ensuring every word was perfect. To make a song of it 80 years later, I have re-written it in modern English with three verses and a coda.

On Marriage .......

v.1 You were born together,
and together you will be forever.
You were born together,
and together you will be forever.
Remember in your togetherness to leave spaces,
that the winds of the heavens
may have room for their dances.
And when the white wings of Death scatter your days,
you will be together, even in your silent memories.

v.2 Give your hearts,
but not into each other's keeping.
For only the hand of life keeps your hearts beating.
So stand together, but not too close together.
For the pillars of the temple stand apart,
and the oak and cyprus do not grow
in each other's shadow.

v.3 Love one another,
but don't ever become slaves of love.
Let the moving sea between the shores of your souls be Love.
Fill each other's cup, don't drink from the same cup.
Give each other bread, but eat for your own hunger.
Sing and dance together,
but alone have time to dance and sing,
for harp strings are alone,
though they quiver to the same music.

(Coda) You were born together,
and together you will be forever.
Give your hearts, but not into each other's keeping.
Love one another.