Utter relief

What a peerless--what a blessed 

feeling.

What an unwinding!

More than mere relief, 

which is exquisite, 

utter relief stops your heart. 

It’s what you feel when the police say, 

We found your little boy. 

When the doctor says, 

Your blood count's back to normal. 

Utter relief is when the body 

explodes with exuberance, 

when the cold, wet peck you felt 

on your cheek was not the lips 

of  monster death 

but a small cold drop of winter rain.