DO NOT LOSE HOPE IN HOPE

When hope slips into darkness,
recall the incandescence 
of love
and nestle deep 
into its amber solace.

Inhale whispers
of whimsy and wonder,
still your mind,
offer grace.

And – in time –
birdsong!
The caress of a cat
as it purrs around your legs.
A fat pony’s velvet nose.
The perfect blackberry.
The gurgle of a mountain stream.

Do not lose hope
in hope itself.