The Wedding (pt. 1)

I stand at the end of the aisle
And gaze at you from afar
In your dashing coat and eager anticipation
You stand stalwart next to the altar

You're so beautiful
The most gorgeous of grooms
You're so handsome
The love interest of our dreams

All I want to do is sprint 
Down the aisle
Past the pews
Eliminate the gap between us

Propriety keeps me grounded 
Your eyes keep me steady

One eager foot in front of the other
I step down the aisle
Lovely in a white dress
Bleached by your blood

I realize why wedding dresses have trains—
It's because I don't want to go anywhere
That’s not forward to you

My vision is hazy
Not because of the veil in front of my eyes
But because of love so thick it's all I can see

I arrive at the altar
A reminder of the altar you laid on
So I could stand by another with you 

I say my vows:
You're my love
You're my Life
You're my everything 

All my love is for you
All my gratitude, too

I don't have the words to capture all my affection
But we'll have eternity to unpack it all

You say your vows:
You pull out a page so long it's a scroll
I look closer, and it's a book
Your Word

You flip to the back, 
Then through to the front again
Like every page is special
And you can't pick just one 

You look up and say:
"This. These are my vows to you
My love letter
My promise forever
All this is for you."

Till death do us part
But you defeated death
So we would never be apart
What an eternal security 

Do you take this groom to be your husband?
I say, "I do,
forever and always."

Do you take this bride to be your wife?
You say, "I do,
I've already given my life for you."

You hold the rings in your palm
They’re interlocked
Two unending loops forever intertwined

We laugh as we put them on
Knuckles back to back
Bound together wherever we go

We take them back off
You enclose them in your fist
And present them as separate rings
You slide one on my finger

I take your hand
Lightly trace the scar on the inside of your wrist 
Then flip it over to slip your ring on

He lifts my veil
Resting the fabric on my flowing hair

Clarity floods my vision
A renewed awe of your face

Tenderly, he leans forward
Planting a kiss on my forehead
"I love you.
I've been waiting for this moment for a long time, my love.