Strange Perfume

http://vivianasfahion.blogspot.com/
2010/06/tears-of-joy.html

I googled "tears of joy" and found
this lovely photo at this site.

I know some people who have mostly given up
on life. Not sick or ill, no tragic diagnoses,
they're just weary of the drama each day brings.
I understand, I do, the overwhelming crush of
circumstance and dark awareness that the things
you wish would change are really people, and
they likely won't. But as the night turns
into morning, as the sun climbs high into the blue,
perfection reigns beyond the small and finite
problems we will face. If we are blessed, we'll catch
a whiff of strange perfume upon a breeze, or hear
a song we've always loved so faintly played behind
a crowd we have to strain to figure out the words.
Both the strangeness and the straining
give importance to the commonplace,
and suddenly a hope stirs deep within.
Things will get better, we surprise
ourselves by thinking. That problem will work
out, that person will pick up the phone and call,
apologies we've waited on for years will
come, we'll find the proper drink with which
to swallow bitter pills and find the mixture
to our liking. And all it took was just
a whiff of strange perfume, forgotten
by the end of day, but should we ever
catch a whiff again, a joyful tear will find its
way from eye to cheek before we even
know its there.


(c) Ellen Gillette, 2013