Smile

smile when the wind comes

smile when the storm blows

smile when the typhoon roams

smile when the hurricane bellows

these are just transient phases of the flesh

much like the moon that waxes and wanes

– make this weathered country your own desh –

– do not endure the elements like so many banes –

smile when the skin is furrowed

smile when Man your ego berates

smile when rage is rearing its ugly head

smile when the pit of the stomach pulsates

these are just transient phases of the self

much like the sea that ebbs and flows

– erosion levels even the deepest coastal shelf –

– turn always toward the sentiment that glows –

smile when the fog smothers you

smile when the word hurts

smile when life stabs you through

smile when the blood spurts

these are just transient phases of the frame

much like time that goes back and forth

– no action will ultimately bring glory or shame

– no man can ultimately alter your worth

so smile, smile when the rain pours

smile when the sun shines

smile, crawling on all fours,

smile, when the bell chimes