Silver lined heart

I'm typically a happy person. And my optimism is usually hidden behind a layer of shyness and sarcasm. Just the way things are I guess. But I haven't been so happy lately. In fact, I hate how I've not been happy the past few months. Sometimes I feel like this is all scripted by a terrible screenwriter of some mid 90's chickflick. Sometimes I hate my life. But I'm a lucky person: I've got a life to hate.

So, I turn to the things that make me happy. Putting on my musician friends' cds and rocking out behind closed doors (they'd never let me forget it if they saw me dance to their music). Going for walks at 3 in the morning. Lunar eclipses (like the one yesterday). But here's one that I can actually share with you.

The author is Taylor Mali and the poem is "Silver Lined Heart".

'm for reckless abandon. And spontaneous celebrations of nothing, like the twin flutes that I kept in the trunk of my car in a box labeled "emergency champagne glasses"
Raise an unexpected glass to long cold winters and sweet hot summers and the beautiful confusion of the times in between.
To the unexpected drenching rain that leaves you soaking wet and smiling breathless here's to the soul expanding power of the universally optimistic simplicity of the beautiful.
See things you hate, things you despise, multinational corporations and lies that politicians tell, injustices that make you mad as hell, that's all well and good and as far a writing poems goes I guess you should. It just might be a poem that gets a Mumia released, bring an end to terrorism or peace in the Middle East, but as far what soothes me what inspires and moves me honesty behooves me to tell me that your rage doesn't move me.
See like the darkest clouds my soul has a silver lining which does not hearken to the loudest whining but beats and stirs and grows evermore when I learn about the things you are actually for.
That's why I'm for best friends and long drives and smiles, nothing but the sound of thinking for miles, for the unconditional love of dogs. May we learn the lessons of their love by heart for therapy when you need it and poetry when you need it and the wisdom to know the difference.
I'm for hard work and homework and chapter tests and cumulative exams and yearly science fairs and pop quizzes when you least expect them just to keep everybody honest.
For love and the fragile human heart may it always grow and heal stronger than it was before.
For walks in the woods and the woods themselves, by which I mean the trees definitely the trees, window seats and locally brewed beer and love letters written by hand with fountain pens I'm for all of these.
For Galway Canal and Rufus Wainwright and Mos Def and the Indigo Girls and getting closer to fine each and everyday.
For the integrity it takes not to lightly suffer fools, for god and faith and prayers, but not in public schools. I'm for evolution more than revolution unless their offering some kind of solution, isn't that how we got the constitution.
For charm and charisma and style without being a self important prick for cavalry and being a gentleman at the risk of being called a male-chauvinist pig.
I'm for crushes not acted upon, for admiration from afar, for intense sessions of self love especially if they make you a nicer person.
I'm for the courage it takes to volunteer, to say yes I believe in this and I will, I'm for the bright side the glass half full, the silver lining, for the optimists that consider darkness just another kind of shining.
I'm for what can be achieved more than what I would want in an ideal world, I'm for working everyday to make the world a better place, and not complaining about how it isn't, so don't waste my time with your curses on verses about what you are against, despise and abhor. Tell me what inspires you, what fulfills and fires you, put your goddamn pen to paper and tell me what you're for.