Requital

A stranger passing by,
A kind look in the eye,
A smile, warm and shy...
Smile back... should I?

Why should I?
Its only a stranger passing by!
But she smiled at me... why?
To be friendly, should I try?

Looking for a loophole, I
Let the beauty of the moment slip by

Will it happen again?
Will I be ready then?
Will I catch the eye of anon.,
And be ready to smile back then?

[Inspired by a 5 year-old girl sitting in her grannie's lap - It was dark, and I was passing by them - she smiled reticently while I squinted to get a closer look. I smiled back... :-) Seems like only kids can smile at strangers without wanting anything back from them! ]

© 2010 Praveena Slathia