Happiness (For Helen) Poem by Danny Draper

Inundation by drought bourn flood,
Precious soil and engorged failed seed,
Load receding stream, erodes and top dresses.

Panacea, elusive, immutable, ephemeral,
Contaminated by corrupted expectation,
Myths as baggage of cultural and family heirlooms
Stuffed with outdated clichés and unrealistic notions
contribute to descendents as damaged goods.

Can it be more than just moments of pleasure,
or the sum of experiences and achievements or their
recognition or elation, or sense of accomplishment
on completion, or emotions sustained by those efforts?

Surely no matter how great the achievement
these emotions are fleeting and can only be sustained if
the deeds are appreciated by family and friends,
but most importantly by a partner. Not that a partner is required
for an individual to be validated, but having made that commitment in life
then surely that can be an expectation from the relationship.

Being supported, valued, respected and loved are keys to happiness.
Environment such as music, art, beauty, solitude and recreation
are all contributing factors as is security, but a poor person may be happy
with the right people sharing their life.

Happiness is the comfort of being, when you truly fit in your circumstances,
without fear or trepidation and without agenda,
but is not a constant or it would be the cruellest delusion
devoid of connection to our dynamic existence and need to grow.

We need to be honest with those around us whom we are in contract with
and who also rely on us.
We are allowed to expect reciprocal appreciation and respect for our intrinsic worth.
Not because we are gods or goddesses as marketing fools would have it,
but because we are people and deserve to be loved as an extension of our innate need to belong.

There can be no happiness without love.

Confront those that should love you unconditionally and
demand love or release to seek happiness elsewhere.

Happiness is love realised.