Becoming, I Come

 Becoming, I Come
By: Joy Ortiz

Here am I
Dressed in white,
Walking down the longest aisle
To you.
I have veiled my eyes,
Covered my head
With prayers
Spun thin and numerous,
Woven together
To billow in the slightest breeze,
An effervescent reminder
That each one
Indeed
Had substance.
I have piled my hair,
A shining mass,
Curled and coiffed
Atop my head.
Its length,
Formerly
Lank and unattended,
Hiding my face
From you,
I have washed.
I brushed out
Every knot,
Cut away
Split ends.
With the greatest care
I put
Every hair in place

For you,
Pulled back
High and shining
To reveal my face.
I have washed
My hands,
Scrubbing away
Every trace
Of dirty deeds done
Before I met you.
Soaked and softened,
Every hard spot,
Each callous,
Every roughness
Melts away,
Transforming hands
Which used to labor
For my own reward
Into hands of
Tenderness.
I proudly wear
The shining white dress
You bought for me.
With time and care,
I wrought embroidery upon it
To surprise and delight you.
Every righteous deed
I have done

Sparkles like a star
Stitched in place
With all my love and effort.
See how I have added
Beauty upon beauty?
I did it all for you
That I might be
Even more beautiful
In your sight.
Look at my feet.
I have clad them
In shoes fit for dancing.
No high heels for me.
I am elevated enough
Standing on my own two feet
Next to you.
When you take my hand
And lead me
Onto the dance floor
At our wedding feast,
My feet will be ready
To keep time with yours.

Look at the flowers
I carry.
Each one was precious,
Lovely, and fragrant,
So I gathered them
To delight you
With their heady scent
And bright colors.
Have you ever seen
Such lovely blossoms?
They grew in my garden
Tended by my hands.
I grew them
From the seeds you gave me,
Watered and weeded,
Protected and plucked
To present to you
On our wedding day.

Oh my love,
I am wholly yours.
All I have done,
I have done
For you.
Today I bring you
The fruit of my days,
The culmination
Of my efforts
To make myself
Becoming
To you.
Here I come
To take your hand,
To be forever yours.