Fragments of Joy

Nobody told me the days could start so sweet,
With tiny hands reaching up, soft and complete.
Laughter spills over like a river untamed,
And the world, in its chaos, feels somehow the same.

But as the hours pass, and the sun fades away,
The weight of it all quietly starts to sway.
The moments are fleeting, the work never ends,
And the body, once lively, begins to bend.

Yet in all of the hustle, the joy still resides,
In the hug at the doorstep, the kiss as it hides.
There's room for it all, but it's up to me,
To carve out the spaces, to let it all be.

So I gather the fragments, each one that I find,
Of laughter, of love, and peace of mind.
The days may be long, and the nights may be tired,
But in every small moment, my heart is inspired.

Ashton Loren Ryan. 2025