Ink And Reason

Let’s be honest, folks. Have you ever cracked open a poetry book and emerged blinking back tears, feeling like you just witnessed a breakup play out in iambic pentameter? No? Just me? Okay, maybe it’s not just you. Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate the beauty and depth of good poetry, but sometimes I just want to read something that doesn’t make me feel like I need to call a therapist.

For a while there, I was convinced that sadness was the official uniform of poets. Almost every poem I encountered seemed to be a competition for who could be the most tragically heartbroken or existentially lost. It got me wondering, is it a requirement to be on the verge of tears to write good poetry? Did someone write a memo I missed, stating that only hardship and challenges spark creativity?

Now, I’m not suggesting we turn poetry into a glorified Facebook wall (although, some witty memes disguised as sonnets might be interesting). But seriously, can’t we explore the full spectrum of human emotions in verse? Can’t we write about the joy of finding the perfect parking spot, the elation of a delicious cake, or the sheer ridiculousness of browsing Instagram while in the toilet? (Just me again with the toilet thoughts?)

As a wise Romanian actor (whose name escapes me at the moment, but trust me, he was very wise) once said, “Live, bro, live, because dying is meaningless.” And I couldn’t agree more. Let’s embrace the full spectrum of life in our writing, the laughter and the tears, the triumphs and the mundane. After all, wouldn’t it be nice to read a poem that makes you smile so hard your cheeks hurt, instead of reaching for the nearest tissue box?

So, poets out there, I challenge you: break free from the shackles of sadness! Give us poems that celebrate the beauty of the ordinary, the humor in the everyday, and the joy of simply being alive. Let’s make poetry a place where laughter and tears coexist, not a one-way ticket to Sadsville.

And who knows, maybe if we inject a little more pizzazz into our verses, we’ll finally lure all those non-poetry readers out of their caves and into the wonderful world of words. Now that’s a future I can get behind!