Be like Joy.
She doesn’t scream at people from across the street
There are grades where her grades should be.
She knows nothing of what the principal’s office looks like
Her shoes are pristine from minding her own business
If the sun shone too brightly, Joy must have had a word
Her ambitions are hers, yours and ours
Joy identifies as hope
She Says her prayers with each person
tucked into the crevices of her folded palms
If it hadn’t been for joy the people would
Only approach in whispers
Only tell our stories when they are too drunk to care
Or as a cautionary tale
Be like joy
Grow a cape instead of wings
There’s nothing down about hand-me-downs that
Would make a great sale.
Joy has earned the cost of labouring her into the world
As your debt grows immeasurably
There is the trouble of your wandering feet
We see the places it has taken you
We see where it will not
Admittedly there is no way to fill Joy’s shoes
Still, you must try
and if it kills you
that’s a death we can get behind.
Share this post