For J.G., who tells me to stop whining.
When you get right down to it, happiness—
Neither complicated nor elusive—
Feeds on luck. Birthplace, era (I confess),
Make all the difference. Duck abusive
Gods (and their priests), zigzag through plague and war
And you’re more than halfway there. Be stoic—
Less desire breeds less pain. Discard bizarre
Ambition, source of dismal stress. Heroic
Acts are not required. What you really need
Are these: temperate climate, a water
Faucet, a switch for light, a book to read
A roof, a bed, enough to eat. Sure, taut
Genitals help, along with that well-known
Jug of wine, you, lying, for pleasure prone.
(1/16/10)