-- What Wonders Will I Miss --

John Herlihy

What wonders do I wish for,

Lying there in my dream store?

What wonders do I regret?

Bad thoughts never to explore.

What wonders do I long for?

Beauty, perfection, truth, joy.

What wonders do I forget?

A friend’s name, a childhood toy.

Am I asking wrong questions?

I will never forget my first kiss.

A question I need to be asking:

What wonders will I truly miss?

A butterfly sitting on my fingertip,

A flock of birds that gave warning.

The fresh breath of words on my lip,

My beloved cat Mimi always fawning.

The miraculous surprise of my first love,

So unexpected, so untainted, so pure.

The miraculous surprise of my only love,

Challenges, successes, failures to endure.

The wonder of missing lies in memory,

Sweet remembrance often calls me back.

To past events that arouse misty reverie,

To stir deeper emotions that now I lack.

Medieval mystique of Mont St Michel’s lure,

The verdant grasses of the Russian steppes.

Journeys down the Danube with feelings pure,

Climb the Himalayas with snow-covered peaks

The bubbling whispers of glacial springs,

The overgrown pathways in a forest primeval.

Stars falling into my heart as my spirit sings,

Awe-inspiring silence of a mountain cathedral.

Ah yes, I repeat, what wonders will I miss,

When I take my leave and find myself gone?

Let me enjoy now all the feelings of bliss,

That fill my soul and spirit from nature’s song.

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(c) John Herlihy 24 March 2020