Mountains without Valleys

There can be no mountains without valleys; 

  There can be no rainbows without rain. 

                                                           First must come a thirst...and then quenching; 

And soothing only follows after pain.

                                                               Next year's blossoms cannot fully bloom

Until the current fade and drop away, 

As nighttime darkness must descend and cleave

The light of day from yet another day.

When our lives see illness, hurt and sorrow, 

Do not let the weight of this amass; 

Though we can't rejoice when full of sadness, 

We must not forget, this too shall pass.

By Matt Ward (c)1999