A smile tells a story, but within are hidden many more.
Good ones, bad ones, tough ones, tragic ones.
Only that soul knows about the internal war.

A child, with her mother, cleans the attic.
She sees the clip of a paper sticking out of a box.
She stops what she’s doing, and looks,
Pulls it out of its resting place and begins to read.

It tells of a man, an innocent man, walking along the street.
No one to bother, no one to see, alone to himself,
Strolling on, with no harm meant to be.

He sees a group of people coming his way. Coming fast.
One teen, with clenched hands and a smirk on his face,
strikes the man, and sends him to the ground.
Head connecting with the curb, he cannot get up.
Face swollen, head bleeding, mind and soul ready for peace to come.
Frightened voice fading quickly, he lies and waits for his last breath.

The child had been in her mother’s womb
when her father lost consciousness.
Now, she hurts and grieves, reminded of his fate.
The pain in her heart, replaces the joy, as a smile is wiped away.
Tears like crystals, flow where childish dimples were once imprinted.

In that moment, a mother cradles her baby.
“I am here my child. Hush”
She welcomes the warmness into her heart, mind, body, and soul.
Musing as she remembers-
He’s in a happier, better place, watching over her.

A familiar feeling returns, as it spills across her face.
Once hidden, now uncovered, the smile of tales is back
To bring happiness to those it reaches.

A smile tell a story, but within, are hidden many more.
Recalling memories filled with laughter,
Of how a soul came to be; Of how with time, it will soar.