POETRY ANALYSlS:

 

A Sad Poem: the title is simple, in contrast to the other work I had put out before this that almost always had some metaphor for a title. The poem itself has some complex parts but it all falls under this simple title. The title is also identifying what kind of poet I am. and how I may not change that just because sad things make people uncomfortable

Stanza 1 + Poem structure: the poem takes the form of a few lines that are spoken out loud by the speaker and some in parenthesis, to indicate thoughts that are not said out loud. The thoughts are not said out loud because they may be seen as rude, and too honest, and are almost always in defense to what is previously said. The speaker almost wants to be heard but isn't quite ready to say what's on her mind so she unwillingly, compromises, by telling half truths.

Stanza one is simply a thought she shares with us. We see that she longs to feel a joy that she seems to not be able to feel when she is by herself. Perhaps indicating that there is a codependency to company - she needs others to feel better instead of having to face her sad loneliness.

Stanza 2:  in order to never be alone, our speaker devices a plan that perhaps the best way to never be lonely is to fake friendships. If one is friendly to others, perhaps they'll be friendly back and she'd never be alone ever again. However, the speaker is still suspiciously defensive. As though she wants the company but doesn't want to explain why. Wanting her state of being 'alone' to never be seen as being lonely. This idea of having to explain herself to people introduces the idea that perhaps being by herself is better to her and that the need to have to be around others might not have been for her comfort alone or even at all. Even though she's looking for ways to be tolerated by  others she is reluctant ("I would stop liking being alone" - she still wants to be alone) but knows it is what she must do.

Stanza 3: These two lines support the idea that this idea of wanting to mingle is not hers because as soon as she has expressed that she wouldn't mind mingling, someone else is relived ("I heard that sigh" - exhale -relive)  not her. who is this person who she is trying to impress?

Stanza 4:  This the first time that the people that the speaker is trying to impress speak. And they speak of marriage which suggests that these are parents -"...marry before the night enraptures us" - She'll find someone to marry before we die.- the metaphor compares death to a dark night that overtakes people - suggesting that when the speaker's parents say this they are being over dramatic, because, marriage is not *that* important and perhaps the speaker thinks that perhaps death isn't either but they do.

She is not excited about this event at all but nonetheless the parents start speaking of the day as if she's already agreed to it and is just as excited as they are.

Stanza 5: despite not being thrilled by what her parents want for her our speaker sacrifices her contentment for theirs and decides to go along with everything and not make a scene where she bursts out in disagreement. instead she'll keep all her discontentment to herself.

stanza 6: She won't - as she has always done- speak about the pressure of having to find a partner to make her parents proud. The speaker, a poet , would like her parents to be proud of her for her talents that connect her to people better than her flirting skills. Even  if its not for a lifetime as the contract of marriage promises. She likes what she does. 

She reminds herself  that she is going to try and be as quiet about the process as she can be whilst still being rebellious.

Her rebellion taking the form of poetic instruments: Alliterations - 'pleasantly passive, passionately peaceful"

Showing that even if her parents disapprove she'll continue doing poetry even if she must change how she speaks. So in place of writing what she wants directly she'll write/say it sarcastically and in a very obviously ironic way all in the name of being a brighter, nicer more attractive young lady (words like "whimsical and Beautiful" suggest she's tryna be the  more traditional lady who only sees funny and aesthetically pleasing things.)

Stanza 7: Her fight is passive, however it is evident that she is breaking at the seams from all the pretense. And it does not matter how much people complain that the things she speaks about/ surrounds herself with/ sings - music we relate to is a good representation of how we feel and who we want to be, a song you like to sing likely assists you to express your truest self. - that is the reason the speaker cannot sing happy songs because she herself is not happy henceforth does not know any happy songs. 

she resolves that in order to be what is truly required of her, some inner work has to be done - "...perishable (liable to rotting, goes bad quickly, easily spoilt = she's moody) emotions I have yet to clean out."   She turns a good happy thing bad fast and those emotions turn into bad emotions, which she keeps inside. what happens when you keep rotting food in the house?

According to the rest of the poem - she cannot clean these 'bad emotions' out yet. It'll be seen as improper, not socially accepted so she must keep them in. So until she gets to a space where she can clean all that out freely - she will continue to right sad poems because that's the only place she can express herself.