he walks now with such gentleness
he gazes upon the world with wide eyes
that show him secrets
about how everyone is lovable
he treads so lightly with his children
that the imprint left on their memories will be
gentleness
and riddles
and quiet
they will not resent him
but then, when the time comes
to cherish and care
will they join him in the place of forgetting
where asking for so little is asking to be ignored