As he placed the heavy camera in the child’s hands,
his eyes lit up, ecstatic over the gift.
The man showed him how to press the button to create
a picture to keep forever.
The little boy gripped the device tightly
in his tiny hands
and toddled down the dock,
eager to impress his new guardian.
He spun around in circles,
pressing the button
to capture the images,
busy people,
the loud noise of footsteps.


The camera caught the excitement of the day
with satisfying clicks.
The boy, so spellbound by his new plaything, didn’t notice
his gift bearer and guardian
walking away
down the dock.
But as he turned to show off his work,
the boy could not see
him.
In the flurry of bodies
walking around
the suddenly strange dock,
the deserted,
confused child with the camera began to cry,
realizing that he was profoundly
alone.