It's often said that the eye represents "the window of the soul". I let this saying guide me whenever I'm having conversations with people. I look into their eyes and let my heart interpret what it sees in them.
This week's picture prompt calls for reflection just like the old man in the image. The way his chin rests on his hand and his gaze wanders into a far distance can only mean he's deep in thought perhaps about his past. Was it a life well lived? Did he make good choices or wish he could change some? My conclusion is that I see stories in his gaze.
Never underestimate most elderly people. There's always a wealth of wisdom to be gained from discussing with them, if they are open to it. When my grandparents were alive and I spent summer holidays with them, I bombarded them with questions and they sometimes hid when they saw me coming because then they would have to tell me stories! I couldn't get enough of them. Hehe.
Years later, those stories of which some were their life experiences have proved useful in my life's journey. I see the old man in this image and think he has a wealth of knowledge to share. Here's my poem.
Image credit: Pixabay
Every eye has a story to tell
Every gaze holds memories
Of a lifetime
Waiting to spill
Seeking to unfold
That contemplative gaze
With chin upon a frail hand
Surveying the endless horizon
He wonders
If his tale is worth telling
The crown of his past
Like his beanie, lies wholly on him
The wrinkly lines
On his skin lays bare
Untold adventures of gold
Those eyes have seen
Stormy nights and sunlit days
Cheery times and mournful ways
Battles fought
Many lost, a few won
In the depths of those eyes
Wisdom, deep as the sea
A sharp mind, full of dreams
Reveal themselves
In recurring whispers
To the keenest ear
He's a guardian of stories
The wrinkly lines stand as witness
To time's ebb and flow,
As a sentinel
He weaves the past and present
To gift a worthy legacy.