The Brightest of Souls – A Poem

I got onto the bus and

all the seats were full.

I resigned myself to standing

but when a woman saw me,

she stood up quickly

and tried to gave me  her seat.

The woman had a stroller

in front of her, the baby

was within it, cooing away.

“No,” I said. “That’s okay.

I can stand fine, you sit

with your baby.”

A man got up from

his seat. “You sit down.”

He said to the woman.

“You sit here.” He pointed

at me then at his seat.

When I sat down,

the child’s eyes followed me.

There was an older woman

sitting next to me and she

tapped me on the arm.

“That child notices you.”

She said. “Children always

notice the brightest of souls.”

She gestured at the child.

“This child is very taken with you.”

I looked at him. He was very small

in a very big stroller. He was wearing

a red and white winter coat.

Blond curls poked out from

beneath a thick hat.

I waved at him. “Hello.” I said.

“Hello there. Aren’t you a cutie.”

I was rewarded with an instant smile

that filled the front of the bus

with brightness more brilliant

than sunshine. When he laughed,

it grew brighter. I waved at him

and talked to him some more,

each laugh he gave me

was like the tinkle of bells.

As I got off the bus, I turned

to watch it drive away.

The bus looked as if

it were filled with brilliant

and beautiful sun. It now

filled the whole bus until

everything was visible.

I saw the child waving as the

bus drove away,

a trail of the suns rays

behind it like a tail.