a new developmental level

Max turns five

in my photography

I have long felt an ability

to look at a person’s eyes

and often see when the reality

of the person looks back,

the guard lets down for a moment,

and I take the picture,

children can take a long time

to let you see the truth

behind the curtain,

behind the mask,

this Christmas, as our grandson turned five,

he seemed to reach a new developmental level,

and I encountered less of the contrary,

less of the pose,

less of the guarded,

the delightful sweet person,

the loving, gifted young man

shared himself to me at times,

I felt like applauding the revelation

that is birthing itself within who he really is:

Max loves books, stories, the imagination,

Star Wars engulfs him, with light sabers and strong characters,

just as much Legos allow him to create ships and stories

whose worlds absorb him,

he loves to reveal and carefully fix the Lego ships,

trucks and small cars complete the troika of toys

within whose worlds he is master,

the social world still takes effort from him, 
as the contrary and the private still have power,

I love how much he is becoming master of them, too.

by Henry H. Walker

December 28, ‘17