sad poetry as oppose to light poetry

[cacian]

what are your thoughts on sad poetry?

please POST one that you qualify as sad and may be another that you may feel is opposite ie cheerful.

and
what do you normally prefer to read?

i am very much pro light and feel good poetry.
i enjoy what makes me feel good rather then that makes me feel down :)

[Dreamwoven]

The Prisoner of Chillon (http://www.bartleby.com/41/479.html) has both sad and happy verses in it. Sad when his two brothers died and happy when he saw a bird outside singing, taking pleasure in simple things.

This is from the sad verses:

I said my nearer brother pined,
I said his mighty heart declined,
He loathed and put away his food;
It was not that ’twas coarse and rude,
For we were used to hunter’s fare, 130
And for the like had little care.

And this is from the happy verses:

A light broke in upon my brain,—
It was the carol of a bird;
It ceased, and then it came again,
The sweetest song ear ever heard,
And mine was thankful till my eyes 255
Ran over with the glad surprise,
And they that moment could not see
I was the mate of misery.
But then by dull degrees came back
My senses to their wonted track; 260
I saw the dungeon walls and floor
Close slowly round me as before,
I saw the glimmer of the sun
Creeping as it before had done,
But through the crevice where it came 265
That bird was perched, as fond and tame,
And tamer than upon the tree;
A lovely bird, with azure wings,
And song that said a thousand things,
And seemed to say them all for me! 270
I never saw its like before,
I ne’er shall see its likeness more;
It seemed like me to want a mate,
But was not half so desolate,
And it was come to love me when 275
None lived to love me so again,
And cheering from my dungeon’s brink,
Had brought me back to feel and think.

[YesNo]

I definitely don't like the stuff that makes me feel down, that sucks my soul away as I read its monotonous meaninglessness. My set of personality disorders does not include masochism. For an example of the bad stuff, go to any poetry magazine being published today.

The good stuff usually sounds good as well whether it is happy or sad. I can understand it easily or I enjoy listening to it even if I don't understand it.

I suppose a song can get so light and happy, or perhaps so deep and sad, that it is best labelled "stupid" as a warning. Unfortunately, the stupid songs are sometimes very, all too very, memorable such as the Trashmen's "Bird is the word". Because of that you might not want to click on this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Gc4QTqslN4

Other songs are sad, perhaps even mushy, and yet they make one feel oddly happy. I was listening to the following a few months ago after imagining it being associated with the Jewish story of Job. Here is Dionne Warwick singing the Bee Gees' Heartbreaker: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VCuCm6XKeA

In conclusion, I really don't know which I prefer better, but I would prefer that if it isn't great it as least be light and if it isn't light it at least make me happy in the end. And I figure why not make such demands on poetry? Life is short.

[Dreamwoven]

No-one wants to be exposed to negativity, but there is a balance there, such experiences can be growth-inducing, and be valuable experiences for all that. That's about overcoming negativity by using it to learn from it and move on.

[Dreamwoven]

You might like to see this post in"Remember the Holocaust": http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kate-kelly/the-american-spirit-perso_b_268138.html

[Danik 2016]

I like good poetry sad or earnest as well as humorous or satirical
But this poem was evoked by the posts above:
Paul Celan, Death Fugue:
http://www.english.txstate.edu/cohen_p/postmodern/Literature/Celan/Hamburger.html
It has to stand by itself.