Am I the only person here who struggles with writing in a more upbeat fashion?
There are some beautiful poems here that transport me to other gentle places.
I find that regardless of mood I write darkly,I'm not solely talking about themes of depression or mental illness.
I suspect if I was asked to write about a thing or place of beauty I'd somehow manage to turn it into a horror story.

I find my grandchildren help me to find lighter work. I appreciate your feelings about the darker stuff though. Gladly I have not suffered from any serious health maladies, depression and the like, for which I know poetry is a wonderful medium to use for its cathartic properties.
However, I do think we are pre-disposed to find melancholy, and angst in our day to day lives for which I think 24hr media is largely responsible.

Hi Graham,
thank you for replying,you have made some valid points especially about a society that has lost itself to media.
I have five gorgeous grandkids and my time with them is frequently an opportunity to be a child myself,maybe I need to translate that onto paper.

Thanks for the input Colin,
I think you are right and I will just continue to write what feels important to me.
I am guilty of frequently ending anything I write with a dark slant.I like writing that makes me sit up and pay attention,poetry that gives you a punch in the throat but it is very easy to take it to extremes.

i used to write comedy i must admit but two poetic friends died within 4 months off each other and it never really came back. i don't always write dark to be honest, rather thoughtful, reflective, wistful, lustful. just try out other emotions and see if you write other stuff but most of all, just keep writing (:

Thank you for replying Andy.
I'm sorry to hear that you had two friends pass away.
I think its good to write honestly though I do be a little concerned that people assume I'm a gloom and doom merchant,I do have a sense of humour but even my humour is quite dark,maybe I'm just naturally a miserable git.

Most of my writing is like that too. I have a few poems that aren't so dark but not many at all. Life isn't always unicorns and roses and through our struggles we can write some decent pieces. I find it hard to write when life is treating me well. ?

I really think the series of tragic events has a strong influence. They have stimulated so much thought in a darker vein, thinking about sheer survival against unseen enemies, the helplessness of the individual.

Only minutes ago, I came to a similar conclusion: that I have to lighten up again; and I made such a comment on my latest entry. Small world, isn't it!

Emer and Cynthia,maybe its a necessary process,we write what we know and not everybody can dance through the daffodils.

I can't agree with you any more, I don't know what it is but I can't write anything that isn't in some way morbid or horrific. It's not like I'm the most happy person but when you read what I write you would nearly think I'm physcopathic, Would really appreciate if you would check out some of my work I've only recently started to share and would love to hear dspme feedback from a like minded writer ?

I think your writing is strong and powerful,you are obviously writing something that is important to you,continue to be true to yourself,maybe we need to let our words guide us rather than manufacturing words that don't feel honest.

Thinking more on this, I would consider it easier to reflect on the serious/melancholy/sombre than to recollect the buzz of happiness. When in the moment of ecstasy one doesn't have time to gather in all the details. Whereas one sits to think/ponder/consider the more negative ideas in life.

Graham,that's a very valid point,easy to get lost in the more negative experiences.
I am currently playing around with some words and thoughts,isn't quite working yet.

I think the trick is to introduce elements of light and shade in a work - that playwright from Stratford did it so well.

If I am writing summat particularly poignant or negative - my Grenfell poem for example - I write a light-hearted one alongside and dip from one to the other as a line or a better word arrives from the ether.

Curiously I write happy stuff usually when I'm depressed and darker stuff when I'm happy - we are complex critturs ?

Hi Rick,I will give your suggestion a go,see where it takes me.