I paint happiness

on faces floating

in search of smiles.

I blot out intruding tears

choosing bold lusty colors

awakening blushes in souls.

My palette knife

spreads laughter

in thick layers,

swirls joy into hearts

in resounding illumination.

Stray clouds of loneliness

are joined together

in brush strokes as

sun unfolds arms to rainbows

after kissing drops of rain.

I sketch butterflies

in cushioned fields of cotton,

dress the moon

in golden raiment,

color seas of tinted music,

painting a hued reality

for all the world to see.

I'm restless in the dark,

tired, too tired to sleep,

and my back hurts

like the cuts on my hands

I don't remember getting,

I remember my little girl,

the look on her face,

when she asked how I got

my boo-boos.

she said it with a smile.

she knew they were from work.

I know that smile means,

she knows it's for her.

my boy told me he likes a girl,

first time he said it,

and my wife purrs as she stretches

in her sleep.

I can't.

But when I finally do,

I hope my dreams

feel like memories of the day.

and I can't wait to bleed tomorrow.

and count my blessings in the dark

while they sleep.

I was in a large auditorium, I had been criticized by my mother and brother for accepting to be in the faculty of science, instead of engineering. That day I got to the hall, very sad. To make matters worse . The course happened to cut across all engineering student and physical sciences students. On my seat, I looked at the engineering students feeling bitter, wondering why I did not write the certificate exams again, to at least have a credit in further mathematics.

The lecturer stepped in, talked and talked. I was far away. At the end of the class, something clicked within me, immediately I heard the lecturer talking about the book we are to use for the course. He just published a comprehensive outline with questions and answers and much more. What captivated me was his offer to give five copies free to the first five students that gets the answer to the question, he wrote on the board.

I drew the diagram, and kept staring at it. Not long as he left the auditorium, I could see a number of engineering students concluding on their answers.

I was just staring at the diagram. Until the diagram began to rearrange in inside my subconscious. This was a question I had no idea of solving. All I knew was the basic formula for the topic. With that formula I totally bisected the question to bits. By the time I submitted my four page answer. I was number ten. But I knew within me that I was to win.

At the next class, the lecturer walked in with two copies of the textbook. He complained that the engineering students used a formula and got it right, but he said he wasn't pleased, he raised my script before the class, explaining how I bisected the question into bits.

Long story short, I was the only one in the class, that got that book. That day was my answer to my mom and brother. No matter where you are, if you're bound for success. You'll get it.

That was the happiest day of my life.

Sift through memories

deep wells, as one sorts

among cherished mementos,

is there an earnest gem, 

glimmer arising as the moon

rouses from exquisite slumber

to seduce us each night?

I would re-imagine reservoirs 

replete with the purest euphoria 

multitudinous pinpoints

of brilliance, a rival 

to eternities of stars.

(my contribution to @Zoelise's challenge)

A moment of bliss,

But it was not a fairy tale,

It was for real,

With a slight tear and not hilarious gale.

Hands trembled,

Heartbeat skipped

Fear had its place too.

But that one moment of confused emotions

Till date is the happiest too.

A part of my soul,

As a blessing in my hands,

A moment I cherish,

For my lifetime through

A mind so full of tangled mess. The past, the future; pain and duress.

Unsettled and striving to understand. In that moment I just took your hand.

A calmness descended like never before, and peace in my heart, right to the core.

We said our vows, we said "I do". Before I could question if it was true, happiness ruled that day.

For others it's so easy to be,

but most special about that day for me, as we celebrated with family, was the weight of the world lifted away.

It is not fleeting, this love of ours, it grows even when the days are hard,

But that day alone will reign supreme as the most joyous I have ever seen.

He was the most beautiful being I'd ever seen.

I had drawn a picture of him when I was in the fourth grade. I never really thought I could have my dream though for I was poor.

My mother saved the picture I drew. For years it stayed hidden, then this day of all days came.

His name was Kemosabi but we called him Moe for short.

That day we went to check him out and make sure he would be a good mount, I walked in the clouds.

Our souls met and he understood me and I understood him. We hit it off right away as if we had known each other forever.

My heart felt like it was going to burst!

We took him to a trainer to check him out and while I was riding him, I cried because I was so happy.

Moe was truly a dream come true.

I want to drive.

no destination in sight. just the wheel and open road in front of me. my best friend by my side. I want to go so fast that when I take that turn you scream afraid we'll flip the car. I want the radio to blare as I sing as loud and off-key as I can. I want to glance at you and smile because you're already staring at me. I want the joy of the drive with you by my side. This moment. This small piece of time. It will always be right. the road. the speed. the blaring music. you. me. it all fits together completely.

the happiest day of my life

has not been lived yet

but i can see it.

one day

i'll wake up

and i'll be glad

because i survived the night

i'll lie next to him for hours

enjoying our sleepy saturday

and company of one another

i'll no longer feel

an aching pain

when i smile

because i would have done it

millions of times

one day

the sadness

will leave my body

the happiness

will appear again

the thoughts

won't unexpectedly pounce

the storm

will finally pass

and that will be

the best day of my life

It's hard to define the happiest moment of my life. I could say it was the time my friends surprised me with presents for my birthday, or the time when my mum came home with a new kitten I had asked for, or even my first time on an aeroplane.

I would be lying though.

The happiest moment of my life - although you could also define it as the saddest - was when I realised that I didn't have a home. No, it wasn't that I lost my house, for I still had one of those, it was that the house I was living in, well, it wasn't my home at all. My home was undefinable. If I found myself at home in a library: so be it. Behind Seljalandsfoss in Iceland? Or maybe even halfway up sólheimajökull? The point is - it didn't matter. I had finally realised why I had been feeling so lost. The forests, lakes and sunsets, the empty streets, fields and roads... Wherever life decided to take me on my journey was where I would call my home.

I felt so free.

It was the happiest moment of my life - standing next to people I didn't like, people whose company I enjoyed, and even some people I loved - realising that I could go anywhere I liked and find a home. A home inside myself or inside someone else. I could take someone all around the world and never look back with homesickness. We could just make a new home for ourselves, maybe even in each other.

It was a powerful experience, but I didn't tell anyone. In fact, this is the first time revealing it at all. But it was the happiest moment of my life, and words can't express the true happiness I felt at that moment.

My only wish is that someday, the place I realised this can become my new home - even if it's only for a little while.