The heart of the wedding ceremony was profound: Golden rings were placed in a bowl and passed—hand to hand—to every witness present. The invitation was to bless the rings and the couple with a single word. The elderly poet and actor rose and said, so all could hear, “Carborundum.” What could this blessing possibly mean?

Joseph Bednarik is a frequent speaker at KUUF and retired co-publisher of Copper Canyon Press. He lives in Port Townsend.