captivated
maybe it was her smile
maybe the way she rested
holding the tree steady
as if the world could breathe
when she relaxed
i suppose i will never know if she saw me
camera in hand, panning
as though following some imaginary deer
fleeing the shaded cool
as easily as i followed her
in her stillness
her lightness was measured in
some way i could never explain
lifted by her smile
as if my own burden escaped me
for a moment
laughter has never come easily for me
yet for a moment the effervesce
bubbling from within
seemed familiar
and i wanted it as my own
the conversant sound of my camera’s click
as i quickly gathered her
into my own piece of forever
told me she was as real
as the tree against which she rested
her smile became my own
and as i walked away
a young doe pounced from the bushes
but i had no need for a photo
i looked back at the tree
tolbert
(photo of rita carlsbad, CA november 2018)