Despair Dispelled

Dawn's rays burst through gray clouds Though evening's bitterness lingers She struggles to shake free of tear-stained, satin shrouds Each morning, so much effort just to rise But lips part to flash a much-needed smile When she opens the door and ventures outside A sparrow had nested in her hanging flowers High-pitch chirps alert the world life has renewed And gladly does she acknowledge nature's powers A wee, brown owl is perched upon the sprawling oak He's forgotten to take refuge as the night receded Then a tiny tree frog begins his pond-side croak She sees his motley, textured body and begins to laugh For nature's creatures have learned to live carefree As he does daily, the frog hops to board a lily-pad raft The tension has eased as nature's chorus serenades Such joy and harmony their songs evoke She saunters through the woodland, joins their parade Her heart is now light; she has mastered their technique Overcome with gratitude, she skips along the path Knowing that wallowing in sadness is never unique For the blues will strike again as night covers the land And she will face her personal demons once again But for now she revels in these gifts from nature's hand And to find relief the next morn, she will simply open a door Step into the refreshing flow of a passing breeze And find her way to happiness once more For Farah Chamma's "My Favorite Things" challenge.