There Are Many Consolations/And Many Joys Poem by Shalom Freedman

There are many consolations
And many joys
Morning light and the gardens of this world
Music and song and poetry
And beauty in all its forms
Love of course
And romantic love as youth's deepest happiness
The work we love
If we can love our work
The people we care about
That above all
Our family
Our friends

There are many consolations
And many great joys
Much much in life to love
And so when we near the end confront
The possible nothingness of the ultimate all
We must still try to live
As if the joys the consolations the many beautiful things of life
Will go on and on
For those we love
When we are no longer here.