Behind various strands
of straight growth—
but deeper, even than—

into the eyes, wells (deeper than
imagined),
two surprised blooms—
flowering showings of surprise (not

the happy! -surprise)

but as in why?—are
those hands pulling,
reshaping the collection
of emotions

that are (what is taught) to come
naturally. For the camera—
in that instant lightning

the face is changed till
the darkroom can develop
a sensitive replacement budding
the truth across the plastic
face.