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I always feel something when I read Lynn’s poems. “Building the structure of joy” seems like such a good aspiration to take into retirement. —LD

To each their own pleasure:
backpacking above the tree line
where the air starts to thin;
dancing ‘til dawn, even after the blisters rise;
movie marathons or the real thing,
mile upon mile upon mile.
You know the way the world lights up:
The pure pleasure of the perfect chord
or the perfect shot,
the bowling strike and the baseball no-hitter,
the hole in one and the standing O,
the rare moments of perfection
when everything aligns
and you are suddenly illuminated,
incandescent with joy.
Perhaps it matters to no one but you.
Certainly your neighbors can’t understand
why you would rise at dawn
to seek that elusive lightning.
But isn’t there something to be said
for building the structure of joy?
Aren’t we all somehow blessed by those
who choose the discipline
of their peculiar pleasures?
Doesn’t that light
somehow brighten us all?

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Rev. Dr. Lynn Ungar

Unitarian Universalist Minister and Poet at Lynn Ungar

Lynn is the author of two books of poetry, Blessing the Bread and Bread and Other Miracles. In her free time she trains dogs for competition in obedience, agility and canine musical freestyle (dancing with dogs). She is also an avid singer and contra dancer. Lynn lives in the pacific northwest with her two Australian Shepherds.

Latest posts by Rev. Dr. Lynn Ungar (see all)

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