Smiles nod to one another on the sidewalk
dimpled sunlight filters through polarized lenses
immaculate sundresses swirl a soft susurrus
swissshhhhh …. shhhhh
suddenly
an infant wails.
Lilting fabric yields forcefully towards the sound
swissshhhhh …. shhhhh
melodic cooing, and smiles upon a tiny brow
yet still
newborn bawling
a caterwauling,
serenity splitting,
screech.
swissshhhhh …. shhhhh
a tic forms in the passing smiles
the whirling dresses frenzy forward
surrounding the child
swirling crooning
swissshhhhh …. shhhhh
swissshhhhh …. shhhhh
swissshhhhh …. shhhhh
yet ever still
newly minted vocal chords ululate distress
shrieking and wailing
howling unhappiness.
The smiles cease their laxadaiscal meander down the walk
staring, fixated upon the child
faces transfixed in positive grimaces
sunglasses winking merrily in the sunlight.
Inside the encircled smiles
the dresses are now swirling frantically
a frenzy of happy cooing
so fast they move
the air whipping about their hems
then suddenly
swissshhhhh …. shhhhh.
a heavy, sun-laden silence.
The smiles dissipate, beaming
lacey dresses skim away, spinning whimsically in the breeze
where they depart
a child
skin, pale and cold
lies smiling, eyes blind to the sun staring down.
Thought Liquor 