I’m wondering
about the tension between your eyes.
Those two deep, etched furrows
creased vertically above your nose
that appear when you smile
that tight lipped smile
below eyes that do not laugh.
You say,
you can’t help the furrows;
they happen every time,
and yet
look:
in the moments when your mouth is agape,
grinning widely,
when laughter is visible,
erupting from your face
see
the furrows are absent.
I wonder,
why you hold yourself back from laughter,
why your eyes show only tension,
that you plough into your forehead,
when you could be planting joy.
I wonder
what hurts.
I wonder
whether I can guide you back
to joy.
Shawn L. Bird 