75
I was ten when a rapture befell me
in Raleigh Street in Windsor
elated I sensed that all would go well
in the best of all possible worlds
since then I have understood that sorrow
can come from wanting good
that disappointment accompanies elation
in what some call dark nights of the soul
sometimes in her moments of madness
my mother sang of beauties that would be
once our disappointments had vanished
and the voices would let her go free
sadly her dreams of great hope
grew out of great disappointments
and the beauty we heard in her songs
grew from the sorrow of longing for good
Bill Hannan 