Now lets look at another of Arthur D Bardswell's works.
This is a humorous poem he entered in a weekly writing competition, called "The Sunny Side of Sad."
It shows some insights into how some personality types react to life in general, and difficult times in particular.
Yes, it's a satire, but it does have some serious underlying lessons.
When dark clouds cover up the sun,
Your day is wrapped in gloom.
You’d think there wouldn’t be much fun
Just sitting in one’s room.
But there depression can create
(I know it sounds real rad)
A cheering list of things I hate –
The sunny side of Sad.
Cholerics bold raise my choler,
At Sanguines bright I groan.
We melancholics would prefer
To just be left alone!
Relaxed phlegmatics, so laid-back,
I envy – just a tad.
They say there’s something that I lack:
The sunny side of Sad.
And O, those sweet well-meaning folk
Who try to cheer one up
They seem to think that life’s a joke
Like foolish Fred, my pup;
Like sister Fran, so full of fizz;
Like cheery Mum and Dad;
Or li’l bro Ben who thinks there is
A sunny side to Sad.
They patronize: “You’ll be OK!”
Yeah, that’s all very well!
It doesn’t help when every day
You face your daily hell.
That “Don’t worry, just be happy!” thing
Is just a stupid fad.
You’d think the Herald Angels sing
The sunny side of Sad.
Their “Every cloud has silver linings”
Makes me want to heave.
They cannot understand my whinings,
Neither can they grieve.
You’ll hear my sobs, my spits and spats
From here to Stalingrad;
My gleeful gripes and grouches – that’s
The sunny side of Sad.
“When times are tough, just praise the Lord!”
I heard the preacher say.
That’s why, at church, I get so bored
And want to walk away.
Attention with my grumps abound.
It drives the Pastor mad.
I wonder if he’s ever found
A sunny side to Sad?
Few things can irritate me more
Than having some bright smarty
Show slides of kids who’re truly poor,
Which spoils my pity party!
Those starving children’s soulful eyes
Say “Things aren’t quite so bad.”
They seem to see, to my surprise,
A sunny side to Sad.
And what about that man, in pain,
Who suffered such great loss?
They never heard Him once complain
Though suffering on a cross.
So why should I bewail my woes.
Of much I should be glad.
For He is One Who really knows
The sunny side of Sad.
Copyright 2007
This is a humorous poem he entered in a weekly writing competition, called "The Sunny Side of Sad."
It shows some insights into how some personality types react to life in general, and difficult times in particular.
Yes, it's a satire, but it does have some serious underlying lessons.
When dark clouds cover up the sun,
Your day is wrapped in gloom.
You’d think there wouldn’t be much fun
Just sitting in one’s room.
But there depression can create
(I know it sounds real rad)
A cheering list of things I hate –
The sunny side of Sad.
Cholerics bold raise my choler,
At Sanguines bright I groan.
We melancholics would prefer
To just be left alone!
Relaxed phlegmatics, so laid-back,
I envy – just a tad.
They say there’s something that I lack:
The sunny side of Sad.
And O, those sweet well-meaning folk
Who try to cheer one up
They seem to think that life’s a joke
Like foolish Fred, my pup;
Like sister Fran, so full of fizz;
Like cheery Mum and Dad;
Or li’l bro Ben who thinks there is
A sunny side to Sad.
They patronize: “You’ll be OK!”
Yeah, that’s all very well!
It doesn’t help when every day
You face your daily hell.
That “Don’t worry, just be happy!” thing
Is just a stupid fad.
You’d think the Herald Angels sing
The sunny side of Sad.
Their “Every cloud has silver linings”
Makes me want to heave.
They cannot understand my whinings,
Neither can they grieve.
You’ll hear my sobs, my spits and spats
From here to Stalingrad;
My gleeful gripes and grouches – that’s
The sunny side of Sad.
“When times are tough, just praise the Lord!”
I heard the preacher say.
That’s why, at church, I get so bored
And want to walk away.
Attention with my grumps abound.
It drives the Pastor mad.
I wonder if he’s ever found
A sunny side to Sad?
Few things can irritate me more
Than having some bright smarty
Show slides of kids who’re truly poor,
Which spoils my pity party!
Those starving children’s soulful eyes
Say “Things aren’t quite so bad.”
They seem to see, to my surprise,
A sunny side to Sad.
And what about that man, in pain,
Who suffered such great loss?
They never heard Him once complain
Though suffering on a cross.
So why should I bewail my woes.
Of much I should be glad.
For He is One Who really knows
The sunny side of Sad.
Copyright 2007