The Bottom Shelf Review

Inexplicable joy,

a lifting of the heart,

a rejoicing of the soul.

Yet soft and fleeting,

as a child’s first laugh.

A grin as wide and sudden as the Cheshire Cat’s,

stretching from cheek to cheek.

The crinkling of the skin,

in the corners of your eyes.

A gift to those who find themselves unable to feel

the joy that can be found,

in life, youth, that day, and in that moment.

You love the simple beauty,

that can be found in tall evergreens,

as only a few of their pine needles litter the ground,

while the boughs are laden with snow.

Yet still their branches strain upwards

towards the sun that brings

light, warmth, hope.

Then there are those that recognize,

the harshness of that same winter,

that realize even some of the evergreens,

which are made to withstand such a frigid environment,

can sometimes stand no longer under their burdens.

These people, see the shadows in the brightest day,

land on the dark side of the moon.

I envy you and your endless joy,

I would never wish it to be taken from you.

Your happiness is part of who you are,

the reason why you see the world as your personal kaleidoscope,

and I tend to see things in much more neutral tones.

To me, you are a splash of vermillion,

in my otherwise gray and uncaring world.