Shopping For Essentials (Poetry)

02nd January 2012
True Love it seems is often out of stock
the narrow shelf it sits upon shows bare
too frequent offers cheapen it and mock
a commodity thought priceless — rich and rare.

Faith runs sticky — spilling on the floor
its packaging too flimsy for its weight
and few judge it essential any more
so take a chance — abandon all to Fate.

Hope is in a box that’s big and bright
(and often near the top of the wish list)
designed to keep its contents sealed in tight
dire warnings should the use-by date be missed.

Happiness won’t keep for very long
like bread or cake arriving fresh each day
consumed before the fleeting pleasure’s gone
the smaller crumbs get wasted — thrown away.

But chocolate’s meant for comfort — and a must
when all else fails and Hope’s in short supply
its sweetness an ingredient to trust
the one sure thing available to buy.