Happy People

By ItsSteveDave

Wed, 22 Aug 2012
  • 2030 reads
13 comments
 

Happy people are kidding themselves,
For you see, to be unreservedly happy,
There are facts you must bury;
Starvation, infection and strife,
Inequality, corruption and poverty,
Voicelessness, disenfranchisement, unfair taxes,
Oppressed peoples, lack of proper sanitation,
Children born to die, transfats, dementia,
Institutionalised religion, people who fight extremism with extremism,
Marketing agencies, the pound sign on everything, bad parenting.
Not to say you can’t enjoy your life, but
I tend to keep away from people who describe themselves as happy,
Rather I gravitate to people who understand the concept.

Certificate U
A Collection of Nothing In Particular
Opinion

Comments

Submitted by Sooz006 on
I really like the point behind this one. I suppose a lot of the time we do walk around with your eyes closed just to get by. Loved the anger in this one Steve.

 

Submitted by ItsSteveDave on
Thanks Sooz, lovely comment as always, I'm pleased you enjoyed. I tried to read some poems to my Dad yesterday, 'what the hell, might as well', I thought, but he said it was too angry for him and he didn't get it, so I wrote this - not aimed at my Dad, it's not his fault, just sending another moody soliloquy into the ether really. :)

Submitted by ItsSteveDave on
Thanks Verdana, I just think that 'happiness' is sometimes tantamount to burying your head in the sand. I see beauty, I feel pleasure, but I'm not happy, and I'm fine with that, or rather used to it.

Submitted by ItsSteveDave on
See Stan, that's what I'm talking about, nice analogy. I'll gravitate to you once you've washed your hands...

Submitted by Highhat on
I'd say content too! Yeps we don't close our eyes, do we? And as long as we don't do that we are getting somewhere and perhaps we can be "happy" with that?

Submitted by Syphon on
Enjoyed this Steve, if writing is any consolation to you, you have plenty to be happy about. nice piece.

Submitted by ItsSteveDave on
Highhat, Syphon and Bear. Those are some amazing comments to log on and read. I am flattered that you relate to this. Thank you guys.

Submitted by MistakenMagic on
"Happiness in intelligent people is the rarest thing I know." - Ernest Hemingway Great poem, Steve, and I completely agree. I find happy people quite dull anyway, they tend not to lead interesting lives ;-) Magic xxx

 

Submitted by ItsSteveDave on
Thank you Magic, great quote! Thank you for letting me know how you feel. :)

Submitted by Shannan on
Yes! The constant Contradiction :-) The way I see it, to know the happy you have to know the sad as everything exists in and by (maybe even, 'because of'?) polarities... I touched happiness once, and I'm pretty sure it's not healthy or wise to live in that space permanently.

 

Submitted by ItsSteveDave on
Thanks for reading Shannan. I agree, it's not wise, but I think to forget the wider problems of the world is probably quite healthy, or at least, allows one to live, go about one's selfish ambitions and quell any underlying stress and anxiety about things you cannot control - I think that's why so many people do it - although that doesn't make it right. Steve.

Submitted by ItsSteveDave on
Oh and sorry to self promote, but your poem 'Contradictory Upbringing' is along a similar theme to one of mine; 'Kids', if you're interested! ;)

Submitted by Shannan on
Stan's comment... wrote a poem on that ... latest one ;-) ... not to get you to read my stuff though ;-)