When
By John Herlihy

When is darkness so dark,
it no longer has color to keep.
When is sorrow so sad,
it no longer allows us to weep.
When is silence so profound,
it no longer has a hint of sound.
When is failure so lost,
it can no longer bear the cost.
When it emptiness so hollow,
it no longer induces any sorrow.
When is despair so enveloping,
it no longer bears contemplating.

When is goodness so pure,
it paints white into pastoral snow.
When is our virtue so sure,
it surpasses everything we know.
When is living so fanciful,
it fills each lonely hour.
When is giving so bountiful,
it bestows magical power.
When is dying so difficult,
we question what’s left to save.
When is death so final,
it takes us beyond the grave.

When do we find that moment,
that unveils the sense of eternity.
When do we come upon the secret,
that finally opens the eye of certainty.