where are you

i

are you in the infant's smile?
the infant that turns into an urchin?
a boy soldier in rwanda
an un-blossomed hate carrier
willing to blow up 
innocent bystanders
innocence robbing innocence?

ii

are you in the clouds?
that lazily float away making faces
or the one that quenches earth's insatiable thirst
sea, land, mountain, snow, rivulet, stream, river, sea?
in the lotus contently floating in the pond
in the plucked flower in her hair
in the garlands around deities
in the flowers in a painting
or adorning the cemetry
creator's creature creating

iii

are you in that sought after smile
behind every painted mask
plastered all over?
                            
we strive to find the face
behind that seductive smile 
that leads astray with promises
the smile that eludes
the smile that stares

iv

are you in the surreptitious smile
that plays on bush bin laden's face
or the one that went awol from adolf's?
are you  in the earnestness 
of the cobbler's gaze
in the shade 
in the glide of the eagle
or the scream of a swallow in his claws

v

you cannot be in that swallow 
that died in my hands
and was ceremoniously buried

if you created intolerance, hatred and death
why did you bother with smiles?
why did you bother at all?
why are you smiling now
                                  you mayhem maker?