what do you see in those eyes?

there was time
when those eyes
those purely coated innocent eyes
used to speak to me, greet me, kiss me
those eyes used to glare with intringue,
interest and warm inviting mystery
those eyes were all mine
and i was the beauty that those eyes beholded.

and then those eyes shifted
the beauty that once captured & tickled its fancy
no longer possessed the life, the abundance of life that kept these eyes in focus
eyesight now blurred by larger,brighter, bolder, and more beautiful spectacles
all temporary remedies used as a life jacket
to save these eyes from the curiousity
that will lead to it's demise.
i was no longer that brilliant star
that guided thses eyes home,
my light began to transpose as artificial,
and the glow from my once so radiant smile has dimmed.
and yet another has claimed the honor
of making these eyes turn sorrow into joy
and opening the lids of their once naive exposure
to possibilities of difference and the empowerment of change.
they now have rights to seeing the salted,
innocent tears trail paths on the heart of the holder of these eyes.
opportunities that we have indulged together have withered
and the seed of faith that i planted for our future
has a new nurturer now.
not knowing my tecnique
or even every intent behind every breath that i breathed into its lungs.
this new comer will have to face it's own trials and errors
with making these eyes focus on that rapped me of my sunshine
and lifted them to a spot in light of clear retna's view.

bitterness used to cause a little redness
but visine cleared that right on up.
regret used to rent space in my heart
but optimism has evicted the thought of it.
an earnest desire to be compensated for what i have lost in this deficit
has been supplemented by a new found independence
that produces thoughts of life and ever greater possibilities.

for a while i still yearned for the grace of those eye's vision
those eyes tenderness and sweet unadulterated reassurance.
i still tasted the salt from my lips after comforting the wounds from battle.
a battle that took place right in front of these eyes.
playing back constantly like a 50's soundless film.
trauma, shown in vivid, pungent colors, HD
all baggage added to storage.
a storage place
that i have cleared, cleaned, aired out, and even renovated.

these eyes belonged to the old me.
petrified of not being seen, noticed, and ignored.
terrified of losing, or being wrong.
being first consumed me and being the best wore me down.
labelled powerless and sat infront of myself
forced to face the issues with in:
self-hate, pity, shame, fear, doubt,the maybes, the unsures,
the what ifs and even that maybe tomorrows.
a storm that these eyes have formed
and witnessed exalted and praised by the insecurities that overwhelm me.
but i have shaded these eyes now
with more that uv protection....
with a wise, sound confidence,
delicate safe pride
and sweet yet lethal power
that has overturned and dispelled
what these eyes have know for soo long as truth.
i have gained patents to my rights to be right
to be sure to walk straight
and the right to see beauty when I look these eyes dead on
remnants of this storm exist no longer
and the raging sound of victory
flood the happy ending of these eye's song

what do you see in those eye?


-stanley byrd