“Joyful — now there’s a word/we haven’t used in a while.” 
– Louise Glück in “Presidents’ Day”

Squeeze the “j” in joyful of its sweet 
juice. Let its taste stay on your tongue,
in your cheeks, till you’re ready to open
wide for the vowel — a diphthong really,
that joins, blends. And think of the good 
in that! -ful‘s “f” is a toothy sound
written as Philly or trough, strong
as a fortress, feather-bed soft,
dreamy as frankincense. I don’t know 
why -ful would end with a wet-washrag
American “l,” except to give your muscles
a break before you shout joyful again.