Happiness

by John Herlihy

On what does happiness depend,

What on earth does the universe lend.

Superficial happiness shining on the outside,

Or a deep-seated happiness on the inside.

Happiness always seems to escape our grasp,

Comes into our lives but doesn't last.

Is a butterfly happy fluttering its wings,

Does a firefly feel sorrow as its sad heart sings.

Happiness but momentary, always on the go,

Impossible into the fabric of life to sew.

A stitch here and there what we can expect,

All the misty happinesses we wish to collect.

Woven into the fabric of a grand whole,

A universal happiness as peace in the soul.

Not fleeting but permanent, to rest content,

Happiness that tells us what everything meant.

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Copyright © John Herlihy

Sunday 20 July 2025