The Joy That Sweetly Stays

In our lives, we’ve been rendered feelings
in varying degrees of happiness -
prickles of gladness 
derived from such events as those 
of tasting victory,
of making someone smile, of giving aid,
of basking in the company of friends and family.
And who cannot remember the euphoric bliss
of his or her first romantic kiss?

Eventually our recollections of contentment blur.
Sensations once so strong become
as paltry as the particles of sand washed  
again and again by waves of time.

However, fond remembrances
are never totally repressed.
It’s what we keep of them that keeps us strong-
. . . .  that keeps us going on.
It’s our human lot to be
longing for an unfurling of fulfillment.
And for far too many, joy is elusive,
coming but in bursts before it fades. . . . 

Life and lessons gleaned from it
all point to the way. but
who of us will ultimately know
the joy that sweetly stays?


For PD's  100 in a ROW contest --3
Copyright © | Year Posted 2010

Poem

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12
A  Avatar
July 12, 2016 at 11:22 PM
Andrea, Congratulations on your 101 in a ROW contest number 3 win, Luv SKAT
Grasso Avatar
July 11, 2016 at 9:13 PM
Congratulations, Andrea. I wander between the lines on this one and feel the melancholy. You do free verse so well. ...Fran
Merryman Avatar
July 11, 2016 at 4:04 PM
A beautiful write, Andrea! Congrats on your win!
Delaney Avatar
July 10, 2016 at 2:07 PM
How beautiful, congrats Andrea: your final line is awesome. It 'sweetly stays.'
Devnath  Avatar
July 9, 2016 at 3:27 PM
Wonderful poem pictured from reality of life. Congrats on your beautiful win my lovely smiling friend. Loved always, bl
Flower Avatar
July 9, 2016 at 2:21 PM
Simply beautiful, Andrea. Congrats on your top win!
Richards Avatar
July 9, 2016 at 1:42 PM
Such wonderful introspection, Andrea !! Great work...... So nice to see it again!
Smith Avatar
July 9, 2016 at 8:37 AM
Wonderfully written Andrea, congratulations...
May Avatar
July 9, 2016 at 7:16 AM
Beautiful write Andrea...Congrats on your win
A   Avatar
July 9, 2016 at 4:31 AM
Andrea, Congratulations on your win. Stop by my blog "The Garden Spider" if you like. Nice to have you join my contest. Luv Linda
Horne Avatar
April 2, 2012 at 2:26 PM
love this thought provoking piece, andrea. glad i found it
Sumler Avatar
June 20, 2011 at 8:57 PM
Going through your collections Andrea and havin a good ol' time! You truly are a gifted writer. Maybe you can lend me your pen for a week:-)
Brown Avatar
February 23, 2011 at 12:37 PM
Congratulations on your win in Debbie Guzzi's contest "Free Verse Seriously". A well deserved win Andrea. Love, Carol
Pettit Avatar
February 15, 2011 at 6:26 PM
Andrea, this is a great entry that deserved to win in Debbie's contest. Congratulations!
Haick Avatar
February 14, 2011 at 4:27 PM
Congratulations on your grand win in the contest, Andrea. Happy Valentine's Day! Love, Annalise
Haick Avatar
February 14, 2011 at 4:27 PM
Congratulations on your grand win in the contest, Andrea. Happy Valentine's Day! Love, Annalise
Calhoun Avatar
February 12, 2011 at 2:23 PM
Hi Andrea - Congratulations on your BIG WIN in Debbie's contest! Best wishes, Kory
Richards Avatar
February 12, 2011 at 8:30 AM
A poem that makes one feel good! Nicely done, Andrea!!!! oh and ps....good luck to your husband, and may he stay safe on the road! (when I was a baby, my dad drove a tanker, and I remember my mother saying how she worried about him so much....he was on the road when I was born, in fact) I remember the stories he had when he came home. Best wishes!
Aul Avatar
February 12, 2011 at 7:53 AM
A great poem for a grand win...Congrats..............George
Puddifoot Avatar
February 12, 2011 at 2:56 AM
congrats on this lovely uplifting winning poem Andrea!
Onclaud Avatar
February 12, 2011 at 2:55 AM
andrea, you hit the charts with this blockbuster of a piece.. wow!! CONGRATS with huggs.. :) nette
Mannan Avatar
February 11, 2011 at 8:28 PM
Such a beautiful thought and write my dear friend. Many congratulations for this success.
Dillard Avatar
February 11, 2011 at 7:52 PM
Congratulations, Andrea, on this fine creation. RAY
Sweetheart Avatar
February 11, 2011 at 5:15 PM
Congrats Andrea on another great win my friend in Debbie's contest... brilliant entry and well deserved win with luv..
Guzzi Avatar
February 8, 2011 at 3:12 PM
Please enter this in my free verse contest! [one of my fav's] Light & Love
12
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