Happiness

One day in school
She told her friend
About those adults and their happiness stories
This big and important thing needed to be shared
The friend listened with that hungry stare
Longing to know
The "big thing" above their world
Swallowed every single words

She then asked,
"What really is happiness that they are talking?"
The little friend shook her head
"We will go home and ask Mommy"

She looked down
In those big round eyes
Was little cloud of sadness
Mommy was somewhere very far away
Daddy once had told her "Ma doesn't love us anymore"
He hugged her tightly and promised
To love her more than Mommy did
But soon, he left just like she
Adults break promises every now and then
Because Mommy said that too
When she kissed her good night

That afternoon she walked home slowly
What would she say tomorrow
Mommy and Daddy were not home
For her to sit on their laps
Asking from questions to questions
What would she say tomorrow
When her friend knows all about happiness
Grandma wouldn't be able to tell
Because she didn't tell her fairy tales
Like Mommy did every night
But only sang those soft melodies

At the door
She didn't hug Grandma
And talk about everything in school
Instead she looked up
"What is happiness?"
Hoping that Grandma would know
But all she got was
The wrinkly skinny fingers running through
Her burning golden hair
She looked up again
And saw tears dampening
In those blury old eyes

The afternoon's lights
About to shine their last rays
On the ground were two shadows
Moving toward the house

"Happiness must be something very sad
Not as happy as the "happi" in it"
She told herself
Because Grandma cried

5.31.03