Prescriptive

If happiness is honey, tickly-thick
enough to make you choke,
if happiness is wine, a smooth swallow
and a short-lived high,
if you're defended against joy,    
and now you're breathing faint for want of it,
the remedy is to take happiness anyway.
You already know life will trip you up
and slap your smile away -- don't
give it an assist.
If your secret is that joy's a fleeting presence,
if you don't like loss, and you know
joy's as insubstantial as leaves in the wind,
the remedy is to catch it, even so.
Open your arms,
stretch out your fingers,
and catch good times as
they whistle past your ears.
Flying leaves land and crumble.
But they're tender, too, and
when held up to the sun
offer shade in red,
green and gold.

(edited 18th & 19th Oct, & 27th Nov, 2011)