It was the eternal summer of her soul br which mesmorized me- br a shiny shimmering- br which glowed in the day time br and at night emitting its golden light br which played among the fireflies br on the veranda where we sat br sipping ice tea br in the Carolina smoldering, br smoky br evening; br where magic lived and crickets chirped br and her staring me full in the face br from which an overpowering innocence radiates br across the short space br between that look br and my paralyzed fearful state br while I was transfixed by her sky blue eyes br revealing to me it seemed the very face of God br looking out, br looking through me br unflinchingly br unapologetically, br unselfconsciously br unjudgementally; br her soul-being peering into my br my guarded hidings, br feaful of stepping br into br the daytime-at-night gaze br while feeling my hand rise to my face br unable to stand the nakedness in her look br of which she herself was unaware br a look which withered me br as she took that hand br and placed upon it a gentle kiss br which seared into my cringing soul br propelled by gratefulness br for that little bit of innocence br from her hand kiss br my gnarled inner self br frozen cold over time br and out of touch br with Innocent Innocence br blushed.