Happiness was nightmarishly elusive,
Then ecstatically and enthusiastically
Pursued with rituals and toxins.
A chemical reaction like perma-setting
Had bonded intoxication with fun -
and it became the only way.
Sorely missed relief from existential suffering
And self-inflicted tortures, too,
Were blamed on participants of a quickly paling past.
Meanwhile, the ability to function and provide,
While dying inside, was irretrievably lost.
The soul was silenced and the life force was muted.
The body was stuffed and starved, caressed and injured,
But the solution was not to be found
On the physical plane.
The faulty mechanism had to be disabled
And a functional default mode was to be set
To sustain life and enable some bliss.
It turns out that it’s all about being here
with an open heart – show up for each other, be kind,
And don’t forget to bring along some humor.