Smile of the unknown girl

by

My latest post on the kindness of strangers prompted Philippa of The Feisty Blue Gecko to send me one of her wonderful poems this week.  Philippa writes:

What a beautiful post – and a truly beautiful gesture. It reminded me so much of a moment in Kathmandu, which struck me so much I re-worked it into the following piece…I love the fact that you shared this experience with us – it is so important to note, value and cherish such meaningful acts of others.

Smile of the unknown girl 

Walking through the dusty lane

eyes downward

thoughts of the coming day

keeping me disengaged

detached from my familiar morning track

Step after step

unthinkingly

I move onwards

Something pierces my unseeing vision

catches my attention

brings my consciousness

back to the day around me

Approaching me

a young girl is smiling towards me

is smiling at me

I do not know why

Her gaze is strong

her smile is unbroken

gentle

her expression holds me

as we continue towards each other

We are strangers

so why does she smile?

I do not know why

Perhaps in my distracted state

my shawl has slipped?

An amusing sight

Perhaps she is curious

seeing a white skinned stranger

in this little lane?

Perhaps she would like to befriend

this odd, abstracted,

out of place foreigner?

Nearing each other

our eyes meet

Her mellow gentle smile

spreads across her whole face

lighting up her innocent soft brown eyes

My expression and spirit react,

respond

to her unconditional

kindliness

and in the moment we pass each other

we are both smiling

openly

uninhibited

like old familiar friends

We pass

The moment quickly fading

The sentiment remaining

Onwards

towards the coming day

in a brighter frame of mind

I continue

I still do not know why she smiled so

But it really doesn’t matter

Category : Poetry
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