The Orange

By Wendy Cope

At lunchtime I bought a huge orange--

The size of it made us all laugh.

I peeled it and shared it with Robert and Dave--

They got quarters and I got a half.


And that orange, it made me so happy,

As ordinary things often do

Just lately. The shopping. A walk in the park.

This is peace and contentment. It's new.


The rest of the day was quite easy.

I did all the jobs on my list

And enjoyed them and had some time over.

I love you. I'm glad I exist.

Why I Like This Poem

By Me

'The Orange' reminds me that there is more to life than mindless suffering. There is mindless joy, too, and it is within reach.

Strangely enough, I don't actually really like eating oranges!