Two Portraits
Is caught in a moment of contemplation,
Dreamily gazing into the distance,
Tiny, mittened fingers caressing her lips.
The beauty of her face
With its perfectly sculptured nose,
Captured in profile,
Entrances me afresh.
Long, dark tresses flow free
In line with her helmet,
One dainty ear, surrounded by straps,
Matches the symmetry.
On what is she pondering?
What does she see ahead?
Can I enter her mind
And share her outlook on life?
I shall never cease to wonder
At this beautiful daughter of mine.
A rare glimpse this.
His lips, pressed firmly together,
Rest under the broad nostrils of a straight nose,
Separated by a flaxen moustache,
So carefully trimmed.
Blue eyes in shadow
Under the peak of a nautical cap
Look directly in humour straight at the lens.
A small area of closely shaven scalp
Appears above a perfectly formed ear.
Is the hair white
Or has the camera lightened the flaxen tint?
The effort of smiling
Has created deep furrows
In cheek and around eyes.
This is the face
Of a quiet, thoughtful, purposeful man.
Will I ever get to know
The inner person behind the enigmatic smile
