In an empty park
On a wooden bench
Sat a crumpled-up old man
With a heavy sigh
And some memories
From a photo in his hand.
As the memories
Passed through his mind,
He began to cry a tear.
The he wiped his eyes,
And as he looked around
He saw a young boy standing near.
The young child in
His innocence
Couldn’t understand the grief
That the old man
Felt inside his heart,
So he made his visit brief.
He went to the man
And looked in his eyes,
And with heartfelt sympathy
Said, “I’m sorry that
Your hurt inside,
Please, mister, smile for me.â€
The boy then said,
“It’s not that hard,
Just watch, I’ll smile for you!â€
Then the old man laughed
And took his hand
Saying, “Thanks, now I’ll smile, too!â€
Nov. 13, 1980
© 2010 – 2013, Steven R. Drennon. All rights reserved.