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.