"fall for the eyes, they will never fade"

but what of a smile?
how he slyly grins
after freely teasing me.
or after his booming laugh,
how his whole face radiates joy.
his bemused smile after I see him
sneakily steal snacks before dinner.
but most of all, its him beaming
after I accomplish the smallest tasks:
every clumsy ballet recital,
every modest theater performance,
every time I step out of my small world,
and everything in-between.

Thank you for smiling with me Dad.
I love you for that.