SING A SONG OF SADNESS

Posted by Bill

on Jan 22, 2020

SING A SONG OF SADNESS.

I sing a song of sadness
My heart is full of sighs
My head is full of questions
And these are mostly whys.

Why, oh why, oh why am I
So choked with melancholy
There must be many reasons why
I never quite feel jolly.

I sing my song of sadness
There’s blues in every line.
It’s bordering on madness.
It’s with me all the time.

I sing a song of sadness.
I sing it night and day.
If words don’t come I tend to hum.
It does not go away.

Infectious tune and catchy song.
When other’s venture near.
If glad at first but sad when gone.
They’ve caught my song I fear.

The lyrics lay a story line
From childhood right through life
The tale is of this life of mine
Its troubles and its strife.

The sad song fails to tell or sing.
Of laughter, mirth and fun.
For sadness colours everything
And every line that’s sung.

Sadness and sickness we have got.
But they are not the same.
To know what is and what is not.
Look whence and where they came.

My melody of sadness.
Exposes my soul forlorn.
Evolves from human badness.
And takes emotional form.

Sickness on the other hand
Seems physical and ‘real’.
It’s easier to understand
It’s not like what I ’feel’.

I’ve sung my song of sadness.
I’ve sung it loud and long.
I’m through with all this madness
It’s time for moving on.

B. Withers 2007

5 likes

See all blogs by Bill

Comments:

bowsprit : Many thanks,Bill. The last lines say it all : It's time for moving on. Best Wishes. Jan 22, 2020

Bill : Hello Bowsprit.
I agree wholeheartedly. However, it is often very difficult to move on when such stuff is still happening and the victims still need support.
Best wishes
Bill Jan 22, 2020

lovely : Nice poem Bill you are very talented. Jan 22, 2020

Puppyluv56 : Thanks Bill. Made my day. I just lost a friend to Lymphoma on Monday and the viewing was tonight. Was feeling sad but you are so right, time to move on!
Puppy Jan 22, 2020

Bill : Thanks for your responses lovely and puppy. Many of my poems have been written specifically for and on behalf of people with unsolvable problems of one sort or another. I tried to be true to what they told me about their circumstances and their feelings. However,where possible and appropriate, I also tried to reserve the very last verse for a more positive and poignant message, so that they were not left entirely with feelings of negativity, helplessness and hopelessness. Anyway, our conversational meetings were usually on a weekly basis,so we were able to gradually work through these things towards a better future.
Best wishes
Bill Jan 23, 2020

britathrt60 : Beautiful poem Bill...and so very true. Jan 23, 2020

Bill : Thanks Ange. It's good to know that other people appreciate these things, even if they are years old.
Best wishes
Bill Jan 24, 2020

bowsprit : Sorrow and joy are inseparable, Bill, according to Gibran:
When you are joyous, look deep into your heart and you shall find it is only that which has given you sorrow that is giving you joy.
When you are sorrowful, look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight. Jan 26, 2020

iMacG5 : Thank you so much, Bill, for sharing this work of art with us. Some very wise folks here have offered their appreciation and you deserve our acclaim. I think most of us here try to help others to be better with their physical stuff. We also encourage others to feel better knowing thats so much more difficult so often. Youve covered it all right here with your rhyme and you offer hope.
I am sincerely grateful,
Mike Jan 26, 2020

Bill : Hello bowsprit.Thanks for your response to this blog. and the analogy with the yin/yang concept has a profound pertinence. Unfortunately, most of the people for whom I have written rhyme would probably disagree with Gibran's postulation that: '--if they looked into their heart they would find that they were weeping for that which has been their delight'. Many of them have not had 'delight', so they are sad for the situation in which they find themselves at that time and for their lives that have been so filled with sadness that there has been little room for anything else.

I was tempted to say that they were sad for their 'loss', but then realised that it doesn't ring true to say they were grieving for 'loss', if they had never had it in the first place. It might be more accurate to describe it as grieving for something that they can perceive in others (therefore theoretically possible)but have never experienced for themselves. To encourage them on a mission of exploration for something that does not exist in their worlds, could raise their hopes initially, only to have them dashed against the rocks of reality. Far better(in my view), to face whatever reality exists and work towards creating something new.(and hopefully DIFFERENT TO THEIR PAST).
Best wishes
Bill Jan 27, 2020

Bill : Hello Mike. Thank you for your comments and appreciation for this rhyme. It is interesting that you perceive it as a 'work of art' for that's how I got started with writing rhyme. I used to draw and paint, but unfortunately, I became obsessional about finishing the artwork in one session. On one occasion, (the last) I spent two/three days painting without eating or sleeping and was quite physically ill by the end of the session. It was then that I thought that I needed to find a creative activity which could be completed in a reasonable time but could express the emotions and the story-line in a similar way to the artwork. Rhyming verse seemed ideal for that purpose, so the die was caste for a career in writing rhyme.
Although the motivation for both my art and rhyme was to help, encourage and enable people to make their lives 'better' than they were before. The rhymes simply assist in documenting things that are perceived as 'facts', and 'literally' placing them in the slightly different perspective provided by the rhyme. The last verses being the pointers towards where they might like to go or look for a 'better' existence.
Best wishes
Bill Jan 27, 2020

bowsprit : Hi Bill.
My store of knowledge is inadequate to engage in such deep complexities of life. Playing cricket and having a good time were my earnest pursuits. My bout with the world of colostomies has sobered me up.Played even in America when I was there, with the West Indians and sundry other people from the cricketing world.What an abundance of talent they had in the West Indies, sadly, they say they play basketball now as there is more money in it.Reminds me of a cricket story: A man from Yorkshire was so fond of the game that he was always on tour with his team.In the midst of one match, he received a message that his wife had had enough with his long absences and was leaving him. His response: 'Oh, that's too bad but the game must go on'. Jan 28, 2020

Bill : Hello Bowsprit.
There was a time when I played cricket, and I was good at batting and bowling, but absolutely hopeless at fielding. That part of the game was so slow and boring that I would lose concentration and start talking to people on the boundary. Needless to say, when an odd ball eventually came my way, I was not ready for it and was castigated for my negligence. I participated in almost every sport available, but cricket simply could not hold my attention.
Best wishes
Bill Jan 28, 2020