I spoke to the boy

It’s easier to build strong children that to repair broken men.

Frederick  Douglass











today
in the park
the little boy walked with me 
and Annie,
and the sun shone bright
through his blond hair
and her red coat
as we wandered together
on a long slow stroll
across the snowy field
counting clouds
in the blue, blue sky
and I spoke to the boy
and he spoke to me
and for the first time
in so many, many years,
he smiled.