and she smiles

And she smiles.

            Quietly.  At first anyway.

It starts silent like that,

but then a sudden beam, and

I can’t help but join.


She’s dangerous like that. 


I’m sure we were talking

            about something, or something else

but it’s her smile I recall.

            It’s just there.

And there it is.

sometimes—

            something else is too

            darker and deeper

a passing cloud

a faraway look

a thoughtdreamwish

            for something else

            the missing thing

But then she smiles,

            and the world is right again;

            back on its course from gone astray.

And she smiles.


© Tofer Carlson 2011