The Fragility of Bliss
By John Herlihy

I will now hold up for inspection the fragility of bliss,
That shines forth in every direction with nothing amiss.
Gleams of crystal glass reflect multiple shards of light,
An explosion of the lotus, soaring from a nexus bright.

A few moments of bliss with no perceptible cause,
An enchantment so starling that it gives full pause.
Unfounded joy that seems to cast an eternal spell,
Its velvet robes smelt of paradise, all will be well.

A moment to capture eternity in one brief second,
Infinity understood in ways never before reckoned.
The sum of earthly bliss now captured in a thimble,
The moment will not last and will leave me humble.

If the peace of contentment is the greatest wealth,
And the greatest earthly gift the blessing of health.
Buddha said a trusted friend is the greatest relative,
The experience of bliss recreates our origin primitive.

The fragility of bliss from the furnace of heaven fired,
To blow away as mere dandelion seeds newly expired.
Born of an impulse dreamed of but never truly expected,
Vanish like the glitter of fireworks from heaven rejected.

The fragility of bliss its promise fulfills when it releases,
All the paradisal ecstasy of life into a thousand pieces.
Humanity builds an edifice of happiness from hope born,
To linger a while before being from the human heart torn.

The fragility of bliss born in a second to be lost in the hour,
A wave of enlightenment that brings sudden joy and power.
Down here on earth we savor a brief taste of eternity’s bliss,
The sum of earthly delights will be greeted by heaven’s kiss.