The Smile. Poem by Terry Collett

Henry was sitting
down in a restaurant
waiting for his meal
to be served

when he saw
an Asian family
come in and sit down nearby
the young woman sat

and as she sat
she smiled at him
and he smiled back
she was dressed

in fine colourful clothing
and her dark eyes
seemed to sparkle
like moonlight

on a night sea
she had kids
young kids
and her husband

a thin guy
sat opposite her
and her mother-in-law
sat along side her son

Henry took her smile
and wrapped it up
and stored it away
like it was a piece of art

he took a fancy to
his meal arrived
delivered by a waitress
who also smiled

and left with a sway
of fine hips
now he had two smiles
stored away

he ate his meal
and sipped his coke
and now and then
glanced at the family nearby

another Asian girl
at the table
(the husband's sister
or his sister-in-law)

smiled at Henry
a thin smile
where the lips parted
as if she were about

to speak but no
just the smile
Henry looked at his plate
stored the third smile away

and ate on
and sipped more coke
the first girl had
slit in her colourful dress

right along her thigh
he'd not noticed it before
now it caught his eyes
and now and then

he'd glance over
and take a look then
look at the thin husband
who didn't speak

just ate or told
the kids to behave
and the mother
told the kids off too

not smiling
Henry gazed at the slit
and mused how far it went
there was a vermilion mark

on the young woman's forehead
but her smile was still there
when she turned
and gazed at him

a bright light
when all else was dim.