Photograph

A silver section
of time
sliced thinner
than a thousandth of a second
and turned sideways
to see.

I stopped it
while life rushed
over and around it
a moment dipped
like a meniscus of water
from a fast stream.

Your eyes
are looking elsewhere
and you smile
wry
asymmetric
completely beautiful
at something outside
the frame.

I have long since
forgotten
what
that thing was;
while it happened
I chose instead
to focus on you
and it
was gone, but
your
sunny
imperfect
lopsided smile
remains cupped
shining
in my fingers.