SNAPSHOT OF JOY

Two hours earlier,
these children were
dressed for an outdoor wedding,
hair combed,
shirts tucked,
shoes laced,

everything in place,
without a trace of mud
on their sparkling faces,
their well-scrubbed knees,

the reception site
offered the perfect setting
to undo all that,

racing through the mud
toward a well-worn tire swing,
they launched into dizzying spins,
raucous screams,
untethered peals of joyous laughter,

if I could bottle that feeling for you
I would,

instead I offer it here,

a snapshot of joy
emblazoned on their faces,
forever remembered
from that singular, perfect moment in their lives.

King of his Realm

They gather at his feet
like subjects before their king,
he wields power
with a decisive toss of his hand,

but the land he commands
is neither kingdom nor realm,
and he neither king nor prince,

just a homeless sentry
in a city square
feeding pigeons day old bread,

passersby see a tattered life
with no respite, no relief,

yet his plight in life
is of no concern to the hungry birds
as they peck and push to get
their hard-earned share,

unaware there is no share
for the gentle man
with the biggest heart
in the kingdom.