Advent by Lisa Zaran

Now suppose happiness,

the numerous moments

in life that hold like legacy

in the mind.

Believe me when I say

I am infected with memories

of happiness, tiny instances

whose translation is merely

to suggest that I, too, was once

a happy person.

As so happens,

anyone who tries to get to the heart

of happiness, moment by moment,

will find that most of life’s happy times

are filled with daily conversations,

forgotten words that echo through

the framework of time.

Some so far gone, that even the most

joyful time in life can indeed

contribute to the bulk of one’s sadness.

Ah, happy times. Good times,

people claim.

As I sit, pouring through my smiles,

trying to find the one that suits me best.

Lisa Zaran is an American poet, essayist and author of six collections. Current work can be found or is upcoming in A Little Poetry, Poor Mojo’s Almanac(k), Juked and the anthology Not A Muse. She is the founder and editor of Contemporary American Voices.