A Statement On Happiness Poem by RIC BASTASA

since it is this season of joy
i speak to an audience about happiness

that it is a decision to be happy
and thus it must depend on anybody

thus if the other is in a badmood
it is only his mood and not yours

thus his problem is his and never yours
as you have decided not to make a problem a problem

and you have no problem after all as each
moment is a precious moment a room well kept

a house where all in excess is ousted where
floors are made to shine and old furniture taken away

here there is no storage for old toys, and old pictures
the house is empty and clean, the air is fresh and pine scented

this is my home, a place where i am king, a situation
where i invited happiness and asks it to stay for a while

and i concluded before said audience that i am happy
and that happiness is mine and that i do not need anyone else

and they were silent, and silence for a while reigned
like snowflake falling on the floor and then

out of respect, well, they clapped.