FAIR MEASURE

What do we use to measure love,
How do we measure pride?
Is it measured in cups or inches,
Or by a feeling deep inside?

I can’t measure my feelings,
Whether they be happy or sad ---
I can’t measure the depth of my soul,
Or measure the good or bad.

Who can measure a heartbreak ---
Or measure their hopes and dreams?
Who can measure loneliness ---
That so never-ending seems?

We can’t measure these abstract things,
These elements of life ---
There is no accurate measure
Of pain, or fear, or strife.

If trouble could be measured,
If a method could be found,
Do you think that yours would be
The largest one around?

Or if the love that you receive
Could be measured out, each day,
Would it be in proportion
 To the love you gave away?

If someday we could measure
All our hopes and all our fears,
What would be the end result ---
Happiness or tears?

We have no need to measure,
For we have so much to give
And we’re sure to find full pleasure,
There’s so much of life to live.

And we all must have our measure
Of sorrow and despair
But there also is the pleasure,
Of happiness  somewhere.

So all in all --- it measures out
Some have more or less,
But in the end, we all receive,
Just what we give --- I guess.

Pearl E. Cain