Joy is easy to define
Yet what triggers yours might not cause mine.
As I sit and think it through,
Remembering all the joys I knew.
When I think of life’s full ranges
I think our choice of joys sure changes.
When a baby all we care
To find our Mum and Daddy there,
A tummy full and a warm cot
And the cuddles we all got.
When at school, no need to tell,
You get joy when you do well.
Lots of friends and lots of play,
Learning new things every day.
Comes the time you need a mate.
If you find one, — that is great!
Two of you together now:
THAT is joy. And then, somehow
You have children, girl and boy,
Surely THAT’S the top of joy?
You grow older, holding hands,
Have a lot of great events.
Thinking of the joys I knew!
But I had some sadness too.
Now I’m old, I’m getting slower,
My expectations getting lower.
The flowers on my windowsill
Give me an enormous thrill
All I need to make me smile
Is sitting in the sun a while,
Listen to the birds’ sweet cry
Or listen to a lullaby,
Walk outside to the café,
See some friends and say: “Good Day”,
Get a phone call from my kids,
Satisfied with little bits.
Great joy is a painless knee,
Joy is that I still can see
And my heart beats as it should,–
All that makes me feel so good!
What comes next is not quite clear,
But, what JOY that I’m still here!