Contemplating Faces Poem by Crystal Floyd

Over time our faces
become a reflection
of our lives

and what we
are comprised
of inside.

Over time
the mask of youth
simply just fades away

as we bear
all of the marks and scars
from our life.

and the way
that we have had
To experienced it;

Kind of like a fjngerorint-
Every crevice and corner
And every ridge and wrinkle

coming out of
our unguarded
and spontaneous gestures,

They reflect highs and lows,
Our wins, losses, defeats,
and even our pain and joy -

In plain sight
And exposed
For the world to see,

But there is nothing
That we can ever do
to be able to hide them.

Does our face look angry?
What about mean-spirited?
Maybe even fake?

Or do you sense
a gentle spirit
and an inspired soul?

Does it show darknes?
Does it show optimism How about enthusiasm?

Does it show depression?
Or does it reflect
cheerfulness and passion?

Whatever your honest answer is,
That is who you really are.

But nothing on our face shows more about us
Then our eyes.

There are faces
that are downright scary

as they show death in those that have been in contact with it,

for the right or wrong reasons.

Others depict madness

and we can sense the tumultuous,

unsettled internal world of the person we face.

What about those that are simply empty and there is no one home?

There is an endless gallery in display

throughout the human species -

the envious eyes,

the obsessed,

the ambitious,

the vengeful,

the sad,

the angry,

the resentful,

the greedy

and the hypocrite.

These contrast with those that are

gentle,

benign,

giving,

doting,

inspiring,

healing,

happy,

joyful,

patient,

grateful,

forgiving,

or simply,

twinkling,

even magical

and outright awesome!

Then there is love.

Our eyes and faces are transformed under the mantle of love;

Youth, freshness, rosiness, sparkle, glow

and cover us with a halo that projects positive energy

impregnated with enchanting and contagious vitality.

The look of love is a masterpiece,

where we see drawn on our loved ones

all that we share and treasure with them.

That's why,

when we contemplate the faces of our life partners,

we see well beyond what anyone else does

as every move and every angle

reflects a different moment of a life shared.

Each expression and gesture

remind us of a different anecdote,

circumstance or life experience.

We connect their laughter's to eternal memories,

we vividly remember their smiles

at countless occasions and places

awe see their tears of joy or sadness

as those we shared or experienced as a couple.

We see in flashes drawn on their faces

the movie of our life journey,

just like the first time we discovered

our love's maternal or paternal eyes

at our children's births,

or their eyes of sadness on each of our departures

followed by their bursts of joy and relief

upon our safe returns,

or their gestures of disgust

at our transgressions or disappointments,

or their immense happiness

when their heart was taken by surprise by spontaneous gestures,

heartfelt little details or even a tiny single flower.

When we see that face

that has journeyed with us for so long,

we see every little thing, wear and tear

that is as much a part of us as it is of them.

That's why we can't help but to contemplate,

unwittingly and to a degree unknowingly,

in awe and wonder

the unique kind of beauty

that is made out of the richness of a joined life story

filled with countless and unforgettable mementos.

That is the reason

no one can appreciate and value,

understand, read, see and fully feel

our life's partners eyes and faces than us,

simply because only we have experienced and know

the life story and anecdotes.

© Crystal K. Floyd