Happiness (Reconsidered) Poem by Judith Viorst

Happiness (Reconsidered)

Rating: 3.8


Happiness
Is a clean bill of health from the doctor,
And the kids shouldn't move back home for
more than a year,
And not being audited, overdrawn, in Wilkes-Barre,
in a lawsuit or in traction.

Happiness
Is falling asleep without Valium,
And having two breasts to put in my brassiere,
And not (yet) needing to get my blood pressure lowered,
my eyelids raised or a second opinion.

And on Saturday nights
When my husband and I have rented
Something with Fred Astaire for the VCR,
And we're sitting around in our robes discussing,
The state of the world, back exercises, our Keoghs,
And whether to fix the transmission or buy a new car,
And we're eating a pint of rum-raisin ice cream
on the grounds that
Tomorrow we're starting a diet of fish, fruit and grain,
And my dad's in Miami dating a very nice widow,
And no one we love is in serious trouble or pain,
And our bringing-up-baby days are far behind us,
But our senior-citizen days have not begun,
It's not what I called happiness
When I was twenty-one,
But it's turning out to be
What happiness is.

COMMENTS OF THE POEM
Susan Williams 15 November 2015

That woman can make you smile at the verities of life... regardless of our upbringing, regardless of our different trials, some things we share and one of them is an appreciation of this woman's warmth and humor

26 3 Reply
Ravi Kopra 09 October 2017

One of the best poems at this site. You must be reader of good poetry. You create wonderful imagery. I am going to read your other poems.

6 8 Reply
Walterrean Salley 28 November 2016

(Happiness (Reconsidered) by Judith Viorst.) **A fine visual of happiness.

5 3 Reply
Ludolf Dauphin 15 June 2016

That's a very nice poem. i am really taking in by your style of writing.

5 3 Reply
Me Poet Yeps Poet 31 December 2019

When I was twenty-one, But it's turning out to be What happiness is. so beatful happiness could be I wish to eat PLUM ICECREAM

0 0 Reply
Tom Allport 01 December 2019

Happiness is what happens when love sings?

0 0 Reply
your mom 08 November 2018

i hate this so much i really wish i could burn this poem

7 14 Reply
ur moms bootie 30 July 2019

lolololplol

0 0
Konnie 14 May 2018

Love it

1 16 Reply
Connie 04 April 2018

Great poem, love it!

8 8 Reply
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