as my charcoal skitters
across the blank page
a profile emerges
framed in long strands
hair to the lower ear
straight and full
nose ghosted in the middle
two glimmering eyes beside
a smooth chin
and a quirked mouth
with a smile that compliments
the twinkle in his eyes
i hadn't meant to draw him
but i did

what now?
i look at the rest of the page
pencil flying
i sketch in a pair
of strong shoulders
with upper arms and torso
shrouded in a t-shirt
briefly consider drawing
his lower half nude
but i don't know what he
looks like down there
probably a good thing
no matter what my mind says

long shorts
revealing a little bit of
lower calf, ankle
then white socks
and curved sneakers
there
finished
my beautiful boy
maybe he would look
even better with some color?

draw another
this time with graphite
rub out the darker lines
with my rubber eraser
now pastels and pencils
soar across the page
pastels for the body
pencils for the face
detail, detail
not quite right
there!
done

perfect

byron

my golden boy