I Want to Grow Beautiful Like You

by Martha Weathers

To Eleanor Ober and other older inspirations

I want to grow beautiful like you.

I want the years to make my face translucent,
hinting a story of life's heart.

I want my hair to grow white as finely beaten threads
of angels' wings
seared pure by the presence of God.

I want my skin to grow lustrous,
like antique pearls first formed by sea and sand
in thick shells, captive strangers,
then wrenched forth and polished smooth
and worn by generations;
so is your beauty, transformed pain, born
of the scrape of earth against eternity.

I want my voice to tremble just on the edge of a tear
turned into joy, triumphant with the ringing depth
of old cathedral organ tones.

I want the solid fragility of golden butterflies that flutter --
but light upon great rocks
and the dignity of ancient forest trees that skyward soar
but know their roots.

I want the humility, when some young friend supplies
my words, my arms, my legs,
to smile and -- let it go.
I will know, I will know.

I will know life at a core no youth has eaten to.
I will know Christ, perhaps, as well as you.

Martha Weathers is a retired college teacher and an active member of St. Stephen's Episcopal Church.