To Keep the Children
It's times like this she wonders why she lives at all.
Times when children laugh, their faces transformed by joy. Although love is hailed as a many-splendoured thing, children are those who should truly be splendoured, treasured, coddled and wrapped all in cotton wool and cling wrap for their protection. Or maybe that cling wrap is meant to be shredded. She cannot remember, sometimes. Both methods seem feasible. Anything to keep the children laughing, for it is when they laugh that the world is right.
Times when children grin, smirks, wry smiles of any shape, angle, and size. Wiping their grins off their faces to replace it with some starkly-different emotion, like wonder, is something she always enjoys doing. Simply-put, it is fun. Then again, what isn't fun, with children? If it takes shocking them to do it, to ellicit a grin or remove a grin, she will do it. Anything to keep the children grinning, for it is when they grin that they retain spontaneity.
Times when children frown, animated after a quarrel, contemplative of an unfamiliar idea. Small fingers grip abandoned pieces of chalk, charcoal, scratching out experimental symbols on the grimy floor, striving to find a clear spot, then frowning in concentration. She yearns to help them, but realises it is no use, and forces herself to sit back, ever watchful, always watching. Anything to keep the children frowning, for it is when they frown that they are in thought.
Times when children cry, in frustration, in anger, in despair. The cup of passion overflows, tipping out of warm limpid eyes, pools of devilish innocence. It is an uncontrollable outpouring of emotion. Sometimes just a little teasing manages to do it, and she savours that much, being a part of their passion for however short a period. Anything to keep the children crying, for it is when they cry that they feel.
Times when children laugh, running barefoot around shards of broken green glass in the alley, free of street concerns or family quarrels for the moment. Some are forgotten; some would not be missed. Reflected many-fold in the glass is a beautiful face with the most perfect dimples, a heartbreaking smile, and eyes that bore into the glass like twin abysses, contemplating, stalking. Anything to keep the children... And she remembers. It is for the children.
A/N: Reference to an upcoming movie starring beard&moustache!Colin Firth...
Times when children laugh, their faces transformed by joy. Although love is hailed as a many-splendoured thing, children are those who should truly be splendoured, treasured, coddled and wrapped all in cotton wool and cling wrap for their protection. Or maybe that cling wrap is meant to be shredded. She cannot remember, sometimes. Both methods seem feasible. Anything to keep the children laughing, for it is when they laugh that the world is right.
Times when children grin, smirks, wry smiles of any shape, angle, and size. Wiping their grins off their faces to replace it with some starkly-different emotion, like wonder, is something she always enjoys doing. Simply-put, it is fun. Then again, what isn't fun, with children? If it takes shocking them to do it, to ellicit a grin or remove a grin, she will do it. Anything to keep the children grinning, for it is when they grin that they retain spontaneity.
Times when children frown, animated after a quarrel, contemplative of an unfamiliar idea. Small fingers grip abandoned pieces of chalk, charcoal, scratching out experimental symbols on the grimy floor, striving to find a clear spot, then frowning in concentration. She yearns to help them, but realises it is no use, and forces herself to sit back, ever watchful, always watching. Anything to keep the children frowning, for it is when they frown that they are in thought.
Times when children cry, in frustration, in anger, in despair. The cup of passion overflows, tipping out of warm limpid eyes, pools of devilish innocence. It is an uncontrollable outpouring of emotion. Sometimes just a little teasing manages to do it, and she savours that much, being a part of their passion for however short a period. Anything to keep the children crying, for it is when they cry that they feel.
Times when children laugh, running barefoot around shards of broken green glass in the alley, free of street concerns or family quarrels for the moment. Some are forgotten; some would not be missed. Reflected many-fold in the glass is a beautiful face with the most perfect dimples, a heartbreaking smile, and eyes that bore into the glass like twin abysses, contemplating, stalking. Anything to keep the children... And she remembers. It is for the children.
A/N: Reference to an upcoming movie starring beard&moustache!Colin Firth...