“Sunny”

By: Hiwot Shaw and Louise Gurley

Prologue

I am COSMOS, keeper of Universe.

I shall travel with you in this here verse.

I bring you the story of poor Sunny

In search of something that is not money.

Derived from the terror of Sir Nimbus

Who flaunts his lineage of Olympus.

Sir Nimbus, meanest out of every cloud,

Picks on Sunny shouting, “Don’t cry aloud.”

Poor Sunny is lost seeming unhappy.

Becomes quite grumpy and even snappy.

Vows to find happiness and claims a trip.

This will be something you won’t want to skip.

This journey we go along with poor Sunny.

Don’t worry the end is sweet as honey.

We will come across the dear elements:

The soil, animals like the elephants,

Nature, and Ocean like the Indian,

Wind, and Star our beloved guardian.

I hope you all will come along with me

Then we shall clean all our inner debris.

We seek to be fulfilled by greed until we release

And find true happiness from inner peace.

Tale

Far above the earth within the vast sky

Lies the heavenly dome it does defy

What we might believe is reality

Holds many powers, not mortality.

Many live within the dome, let’s see who.

We introduce these characters to you.

The wispy Cirrus love to play all-day.

They skip and sing, shriek and shout, “Hooray.”

Altocumulus next may prefer space

But don’t you worry they’ll warm up at pace.

You’ll find out they exceed expectations.

Now we must speak about more creations.

The Cumulus are like both you and me.

They live day to day, nothing new to see.

Yet Cumulonimbus are full of wrath.

Beware for they might come across your path.

Now we talk of the glum Nimbostratus.

Found low in the astral apparatus.

They shed their dismal tears upon the Earth

Not knowing that the tears bring life and birth.

Among this group, we now meet poor Sunny.

He yearns for a life sweeter than honey.

He wants to embody his given name

But struggles to ignite his inner flame.

He feels not like the rest and hopes to stray

Away from norms expected today.

Forced to be a somber Nimbostratus

Hates to fit in their simple plain status.

Weeps to himself about his sad title

But he had to be a crying idol.

He is meant to be strong and show no mind.

He’s often ostracized and left behind.

Which leaves poor Sunny open to some hate

Cumulonimbus clouds joke he won’t mate.

Leader of the bullies is Sir Nimbus.

He and his friends make thunderous business.

They tease about his constant sobbing, say,

“Strong clouds don’t show feelings in an array.”

This hurt poor Sunny right down to his core

But soon he won’t take it anymore.

Just as prophet Elijah couldn’t take it,

The pressure of life sometimes does not fit.

Fleeing into the wilderness seeking refuge,

Elijah hopes to avoid subterfuge.

Undone, isolated and imperiled

Elijah, like poor Sunny, both bewailed.

Done with this hurt could not take anymore

Now proclaimed a trip like never before.

Poor Sunny vowed to find true joyousness.

What he saw in others stemmed bitterness

Every which way happiness was boundless.

Never had hope he was always doubtless.

Took his own initiative to travel

Now let us see how this will unravel.

The Earth

Descending from the sky we meet the Earth

Poor Sunny asks the Earth, “What is my worth?”

“I’ve lived for many years and seen it all

So here, precious young, one I will not stall.

Dear child, I can afford one advice,

You think too much, life must suffice.”

Poor Sunny, left quite, lost asks once again,

“Wise one, how can I become happy then?”

“My child, don’t fret with wisdom you’ll find

What rids of the blind unravels to kind.”

Poor Sunny dazed and confused, struggling

To connect the thoughts he was juggling.

The Earth continued to talk of wisdom

Spoke of the plants and full of life kingdom.

But, poor Sunny found no resolution

Yearned for answers needing a solution.

Poor Sunny left dismal and quite disdained

Yet his hope for answers was left unstained.

He then traveled further to find new aid

Going deeper, meeting living displayed.

The Animals

Once poor Sunny concluded with the Floor,

He searched for someone with more of a roar.

Animals were next on poor Sunny’s list.

The Kingdom approached poor Sunny from mist.

Poor Sunny wanted to ask for their aid

He warned them it wouldn’t be a charade

He wished to seek the truth to find delight,

They sent poor Sunny to Owl, whooo’s bright.

Owl told him that “joy isn’t hard to get,

You just have to be in the right mindset.”

Owl confused poor Sunny to no end.

Poor Sunny was sent to Quokka’s home.

Quokka was happy and looked like a gnome.

He was the perfect prototype for glee,

So he told poor Sunny life was carefree.

Poor Sunny did not like Quokka’s answers,

His mind more muddled than offbeat dancers.

Poor Sunny asked for help from animals,

All failed to provide even the mammals.

Others couldn’t help poor Sunny at all,

Poor Sunny’s sadness could no longer stall.

Now he started to cry, feeling hopeless.

But he knew he could not stop his progress.

Poor Sunny left in search of more succor.

The little he found forced a sad pucker.

Wandering astray he had no clue where

Continued to travel no time to spare.

Three weary days had passed, no luck was found.

Poor Sunny continued but heard a sound.

Then turned around to see such vast profound.

The Ocean

Poor Sunny hears the grunts and groans of fish;

Sand sizzling from the salt and its swish.

“Oh Ocean!” he then pleaded with desperation

Poor Sunny looked with such aspiration.

She smiled as she gazed at her own glory.

All poor Sunny wanted was the story.

When she noticed poor Sunny she wondered,

“What can I do for you?” she then thundered.

“I want to love life as you do, Ocean”

“Call me India,” sang with emotion.

“India I wish to be just like you,”

Poor Sunny exclaimed, nothing was untrue.

With no break of joy she tries to explain,

“It’s not possible because it’s my reign.”

She smilingly says to him, “No dear you can’t.

Look at all that needs me, the life I grant.
You are only a cloud, with no purpose.”

Poor Sunny only feeling worse, worthless.

Wished to be India, be anyone.

He sought help only to be left undone.

Leaving the joyous Ocean to herself,

Now holding the status less than a delph.

India resumed her grand, marine life.

Her glittering sunlit skin, with no strife.

The sparkling shells in the soft satin sand,

Not one thing she ever did appeared bland.

Her adoring children swimming nearby

Who loved her, knew nothing else to rely.

Poor Sunny turned to prevent his sad cry.

Dejected and ascended toward the sky.

The Winds

A whisper wafted around poor Sunny

But he thought it was the least bit funny.

Whipping around, a wild wind whirled by.

Poor Sunny, frustrated only could sigh.

He waited until the wind finally stopped.

As time went on his patience only dropped.

The South Wind with quite a ruckus said, “Hi!”

Poor Sunny only wanted to say “Bye!”

Bing, idea, poor Sunny asked wind.

In a way which sounded like he had sinned.

“Mhmm Mr. South Wind, may I pick your brain?”

Retaining rudeness, for it’s his domain.

“Sure thing my brother, how can I help you?”

“The spirit you hold I wish to pursue.

I have done all bad, no good, you can see

I want to live my life to your degree.”

But South Wind was utterly unhelpful.

He was the last one to be worshipful.

He said “But ask my brother the East breeze.”

He will help find what you seek, with no fees.”

Traveling with joyous hope, arrives at East.

While dispersing flowers, worries the least.

Poor Sunny eager got straight to the point.

“Mr. East I want change, in every joint”

The East breeze too calm to care, deterred him.

Poor Sunny withdrew with nothing but grim.

Lastly the East said quickly, “Ask the West,

He would invest, as leader of this nest.”

Some days later, poor Sunny arrived there.

His hope from the start had begun to tear.

He found the West giving power to all.

But poor Sunny waited days, could not stall.

“Oh West Wind give me hope, I just want joy,

My heart in pain like the city of Troy.”

The West Wind whispered with kindness “to live.”

Said, “Just be happy, grief, anger get rid.”

Poor Sunny angered by such an answer,

Stormed off like the zodiac sign Cancer.

Now done with this journey returning home.

Thinking it would help but it turned out fome.

Poor Sunny felt an urge to go further

 He passed his home and followed the murmur.

The Star

All the twinkling stars shimmered like bright gems,

Quite perfect visuals when you do see them.

One star inimitably glowed delight.

The sparkly speckle gleaming very bright.

Amazed poor Sunny, then followed the urge

To now meet the North Star that would emerge.

The North Star is our guide, our true compass.

Her qualities, all things to encompass.

Gives hope to the weary, the lost, and gone.

Always visible, everyone is drawn.

With beauty and grace the North Star displayed

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1. Fome: in Spanish colloquial language meaning dull or lame

Poor Sunny approached and nervously swayed.

North Star illuminated at her guest.

Poor Sunny noticed the glow in her chest.

She then reached for him and silently spoke.

Delicately whispering to evoke

What poor Sunny had hoped to truly find,

Not through spoken language but through the mind.

Suddenly all his memories flashed by.

Holding back his tears so he would not cry.

He watched himself how much he would pretend,

From the start of life and until the end.

Now he cried but this time not like the rest.

Cries of joy so much feeling to digest.

North looked deep into his eyes and told him,

“Dear, everything you seek is from within.

It has been inside this whole time therein.

Happiness can not be given or taught

Nothing others can provide, nothing bought.

Now look inside you are beauty and life,

No need for sadness, anger, fear or strife.

You are unique and you do deserve peace.

Go live life to the fullest, never cease.”

Content with her doing the North Star gleamed

She smiled then transcended and brightly beamed.

Only a soft green hue was left in her wake.

She gave him her all, nothing left to take.

Now pondered about his new life ahead.

Glad to allow his true nature to spread.

He thought about the havoc of the trip.

But glad for this journey he would not skip.

Poor Sunny is no longer poor Sunny.

Sunny has found much more than just money.

His story is so rich, learn it you must.

True happiness is from within just trust.