An Anniversary Slant Rhyme

©Alex Webb, Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, 1996; our wedding invitation photo

What’s the nontraditional gift for a 16th wedding anniversary? For Alex and me today, a slant rhyme of poem (mine) and photograph (his), which was on our handmade wedding invitations. I love all those “rhyming” curves and rings and embraces and heavenly bodies… “A gift this distance we’ve traveled so far…”

MATRIMONY
One night I see Saturn ––
between Ninth and Tenth Street ––
naked and luminous
through the glass.
You look, too: white orb,
the ring of your laughter.
Floating home, you pull me
into your chest. I’m light,
mercury vapor, almost yours,
until the mortal woman returns,
all curves and memory,
your arm ringing my waist.
A gift, this distance
we’ve traveled so far.

Alex’s story behind the making of the image above, which is part of Up Close & Personal Magnum Photo Square Print sale, thru Friday, Nov. 13, 6pm EST:

“In 1996 after returning from the US-Mexico border, I showed my new work to Rebecca Norris, who I’d been seeing for some six months. When we came to this photograph from Nuevo Laredo, Rebecca smiled bemusedly and said, ‘muy romantico.’ Looking again, I began to see that it does indeed strike a different note. Although inhabited by those deep shadows that characterize much of my border work, this particular photograph is quieter, more lyrical. It’s as if it’s human moments—the couple embracing, the father holding his child—somehow manage to keep the darkness at bay, at least briefly.

Photographers don’t just find photographs; sometimes photographs find photographers. In retrospect, it hardly seems surprising that this photograph found me when it did—as I was falling for the remarkable woman and lyrical photographer who’s the love of my life.

Three years later, we printed this photograph on our wedding invitations.”—Alex Webb

Magnum Square Print Sale Thru Nov. 13

FIVE DAYS ONLY:  Magnum Photos is offering Alex’s above print as part of its UP CLOSE & PERSONAL $100 SQUARE PRINT SALE.  The sale lasts through Nov. 13, which is fitting because that’s the day we were married 16 years ago this week (the photograph appeared on our wedding invitation), a day we both consider to be the best day of our lives, surrounded by loving family and friends.  All the proceeds from the sale will be used to fund our two new collaborative projects.

Here’s where you can order the print online. Many of you may already know this image because it’s in Alex’s “The Suffering of Light” book as well as our Aperture workshop book, “Alex Webb and Rebecca Norris Webb on Street Photography and the Poetic Image.”  And below you’ll find Alex’s story behind the making of the photograph.—Rebecca

“In 1996 after returning from the US-Mexico border, I showed my new work to Rebecca Norris, who I’d been seeing for some six months. When we came to this photograph from Nuevo Laredo, Rebecca smiled bemusedly and said, ‘muy romantico.’ Looking again, I began to see that it does indeed strike a different note. Although inhabited by those deep shadows that characterize much of my border work, this particular photograph is quieter, more lyrical. It’s as if it’s human moments—the couple embracing, the father holding his child—somehow manage to keep the darkness at bay, at least briefly.

Photographers don’t just find photographs; sometimes photographs find photographers. In retrospect, it hardly seems surprising that this photograph found me when it did—as I was falling for the remarkable woman and lyrical photographer who’s the love of my life.

Three years later, we printed this photograph on our wedding invitations.”—Alex Webb