The other day I saw a child,
Who, walking with his brother, smiled.
As they laughed and played and merry-made,
Nothing could ever make those wide smiles fade.

I watched the brother look on, proud
Of his sibling, running, skipping, tumbling ‘round.
The brother saw his sibling’s promise,
His bright, open future, prized and precious.

I saw the boy, exuberant, brimming with glee,
Grinning, revealing missing teeth for all to see.
No worry in the world, so innocent and free
Blissfully unaware, uncorrupted unlike me.

I observed the timelessness on each smiling face
Neither wanted to be in any other place
No thought of the future, better than they could’ve wished.
But I knew it’d soon be gone, and most forlornly missed.

So enjoy while you can, I said silently to the two.
For the due course of Time brings little but rue.
What used to be such sweet, cherished childhood,
What once was so loved, now nothing but memories, gone for good.