A Smile?

So you think you know what a smile means?

You are the loving smile of a Mother to her child.

You the fond smile of Fathers so kind.

And there is the smile, spread wide, at a joke.

There joyous, bright, smiles of old dancing folk.

 

 

Dazzles the bride as she smiles down the aisle!

Full are the smiles, relaxing with wine.

You are all smiles that reach out for miles!

Amused, contented, pleasurable smiles!

 

 

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We are the smiles that live with sin!

Like  the smile that enjoys a foul, lucky, win!

The smile of dominatrix as whip tans the skin!

Or the smile when your victim sobs and gives in!

 

 

Then smiles that gleam when your foe is crushed. 

When best friend heeds not, your breach of trust.

Like the smile that defies when caught in a lie.

And smiles of delight when a hated one dies.

 

 

Smiles when self-gain,  pleasures our greed.

The smile of distain at your enemies needs.

(So when next that smile, you daily receive,

Take care to adjudge it! Which smile do you read?)   

Author's Note

I have seen all these smiles. Many of them misled me!

Reviews

[Cherrie Palmer]

Spoken like true officer. This is a great peom that I know and understand oh to well. You can never out guess people. Tell me this when you go out do you still set with your back to the wall? I'd lay odds that you do.

[Tina Kline]

So true, there are a lot of different sort of smiles out there. Even if you really know a person their smiles can fool. Nice write!

[Writeress]

Oooh love this. How are you Ron?

I have a great little book called smiles. It's really sweet. It only talks about the nice smiles though. I wonder what inparticular inspired this poem? I don't think we need to judge a smile when its given freely to us but it's good to have a little insight.

[emmajoy]

Oh my, worried about that second sentence in the Author's Note!

I think this covers smiles very well, there ARE so many, some sincere, a few misleading or unpleasant in this or that way, but, if we spend our lives suspecting what could be a simple or humble smile, what else is there!

The second verse is a true but sad one, gathering the weeds rather than the blossoms, but they do exist, sad to say.

Certainly, as another reviewer says, always look at the eyes, but, also look at the mouth, whether or not it's relaxed, tight, sneering .. but, don't spend too much time on that, just be grateful that's someone's bothering with you!

So like the following : ' So when next that smile you daily receive, Take care to adjudge it ; which smile do you read? ' In a way that's asking the reader to think about your theme, not just take it as read.. that's a really good ploy

Fine writing and a great read, thank you for sharing it .

[pregnantpoet]

My friend, your poem contains observations that are acute and accurate. You have all the ingredients of a great poem and the poem will be universally understood. What I like is your attempt at clarity as distinct from trying to sow confusion....HOWEVER...having said that I say your technique is clumsy and immature.
You need to engage the minds of thinkers and people who want to travel with you. You must work on this poem. It must have a beginning, middle and end. It must say MORE! More about you. More about your fellow man in a manner that is always challenging. Yet, go on with your attempts. Read The Oxford Book of English Verse just to see how poetry has developed down the great ages of English literature. Then read a woman called Sylvia Plath, or her husband once, Ted Hughes, your own Poet Laureate. Best wishes, Ron.

[Poeticpiers]

Beware any smile which does not reach the eyes