3. By Joy

From Parting Strengthens Poetry (1996)

O song that I have longed to sing,
from early memory seek to bring,
I heard you in my lullabies,
I kissed you in my young goodbyes.

O dream that in my youth I dreamed,
though far removed you once had seemed,
I saw you by the shadowed brook,
yet you were gone the second look.

And now with smiling joy you greet,
with loving arms for me entreat.
Now you are here; not here as He,
but caught like me and bought like me.

And now my gaze will flinch no more — 
By Joy we’re joined with Joy our core.

Composed December 22, 1995, 4:58 p.m. by Mark Feezell / DrFeezell.com
Included in Feezell’s poetry collection Parting Strengthens Poetry (1996)
Dedicated to the Public Domain (CC0 1.0) 2024

Download as an RTF file.

Image: Ferns Stream Pebbles (DSC07888)

poetry, Parting Strengthens Poetry (1996)