His Smile

He watches children now.

He used to look at them and then look back at me,
his eyes wide, screaming oh my god can you
even imagine thank you lord that we are not
having to deal with that right now.

Then, not too long ago,
there was a period when he looked at them silently,
contemplatively,
pondering their existence,
how they came to be,
how long it took for them to come to be.

Now he watches them.
And smiles.
A quiet smile that bubbles up from his heart,
a smile he doesn't even realize is on his lips.

He is so easily unguarded.

He smiles at their wiggly limbs,
their messy hair,
their untied shoelaces,
their food smeared across their cheeks,
their shrieks of amusement and joy.

He watches fathers
interacting with their sons,
their daughters.

Watches and smiles.