Love poems and fairy tales
break the hearts of many
for though enticing in their phrasing
and feeling in their verse,
the happy endings they portray
do no justice to what we live:
all these princesses marrying their prince.
And poetry feels like itself, so ineffably believed.
Yet tears are shed just the same
when lovers break our hearts,
and happiness seems far off
when dishes and vases break to parts.
And children crying or pet mice dying
seems all in life there is.
So we ask ourselves why this life
is not like in the stories.
For we’ve read them wrong, from all time,
forgetting how to really live.
No happy endings in today or all tomorrows
will be our lot to own,
for death must claim us all,
and even if at old age sleep takes you
there must be sorrow when it calls.
Lovers fight after the wedding night, not only before
So treasure moments of peaceful calm
and reading those love poems.
For only moments belong to us, some made to treasure.
But death is not the last word,
though come it will unbidden.
Hope that the fairy tales uncover
some truth concerning heaven.