Suffering is never mistaken; it's clear at the time
and a year later, when you look back, it's always seen
as suffering. Joy is different; it's nearly always mistaken

as natural when it occurs, and can only be identified as
joy when looking back on it. There in the future, you
can look back on today and say you were happy then . . .

if only you hadn't bollixed it all up, or if only she had
seen things your way. The odd part is two years from
now: when today's future has become the cherished past.

© 2002 Ward Kelley

Ward Kelley has seen more than 1100 of his poems appear in journals world wide. A Pushcart Prize nominee, Kelley's publication credits include such journals as: ACM Another Chicago Magazine, Rattle, Zuzu's Petals, Mocha Memoirs, Ginger Hill, Sunstone, Spillway, Pif, 2River View, Melic Review, Thunder Sandwich, The Animist, Offcourse, Potpourri and Skylark. Recently he was the recipient of the Nassau Review Poetry Award for 2001. Kelley is the author of two paperbacks: "histories of souls," a poetry collection, and "Divine Murder," a novel; he also has an epic poem, "comedy incarnate" on CD and CD ROM.