When Joy Waltzes In

Joy dances in even to the bereft She cracks my frown with a tango Then she leaves my house swept Joy is a hummingbird trapped indoors Her iridescence lights up all my grime Usher her out before I’m enamored But, happiness is like fish overstayed His cloying perfume overpowered He is a rhino to her phoenix raised Sometimes joy is an elephant Hiding under a tablecloth snickering She exits invisibly like an ant Sometimes she’s Mary Poppins waltzing Scrubbing a spot that I cannot dirty Sprinkling a spoon full of sugar on salt A lifetime of joy waltzing in wears me out Then happiness retires to a piece of furniture I’ll give her a ticket to dance and not pout Someday when I am old and feeble Too tired of laying ashes down I’ll let joy lift my frown with needles I’ll let her cat sit on my lap untamed When I’m too demented to sully joy I’ll let joy feast upon my remains Till then I’ll leave the door ajar ** Luke 12:36 "Be like men who are waiting for their master when he returns from the wedding feast, so that they may immediately open the door to him when he comes and knocks."