Against Which To Measure Poem by David Whalen

One can’t know happiness
Unless one knows about sadness
One can’t know about pleasure
Without knowing of pain

You have to have something
Against which to measure
Like the dryness of dust measured
Against cool rivulets of rain

Without the presence of evil
Would we know what is good
To not know of cruelty
Would we know what we should

Knowing only of kindness
Of naught but good things
Enjoy bees sweet honey…
Yet not know of bee’s stings

Would you know what you had
Be it travails or treasure
No…not without experience …
Against which to measure