I knew him then.

The boy.

The child.

I knew him when the sun played on his shoulders.

When a glance at the clouds above would set him free.

When nothing could stop him from

Dancing

Or

Smiling.

It is as if another lifetime now.

I do not know what happened out there in the world.

I do not know who stole

Delight from his veins.

But I do know

Whoever

Stole it,

They did not take it all.

For

I see it in his shadow.