Subject matter and state of mind

Is it possible that subject content affects state of mind?

I look at a lot of teenage poet's main pages and will generally avoid them if I see only one or two poem categories... Usually it's Dark and sad poems that pair up or just one long list of love poems.

So my question is:

If you only ever write sad and dark poems will you always be sad? Would experimenting with different genres affect the mood and outlook of the poet?

It would be nice to see if any of our poets here would be willing to try and see if this question is true or not. Would focussing on comedic or light hearted work influence you, and on the flip side, would writing sad poems make you more sad?

Any takers?

I write a couple of sad poems but to me it makes me feel so much better. I don't write about cutting or suicide and sometimes my messages might not always be clear to other people, but just knowing that the truth is out there at least for me I can feel not as guilt ridden until it sneaks up on me and then I write a different poem about it as a way to heal.

Of course there are times I write to try and put messages out to others. And yes they might be terrible but at least I might be able to show people what society needs to change.

Interesting question... It reminds me of one of those Social Psychology -- such as, can one, a person, will themselves into a different state of mind. I don't know, bjut I do know when you things about sad things, sad occurances you usually feel sad, and when you think of happy ones - a happy memory or such - you usually feel happy, becauase those same emotions are stirred up again. I can't really say, how much what you are writing about affect your state of mind, but what I do know is you can find the happy or sad, if you look for it!!! Now, I personally don't write sad poems, for sad is not my optimum state of mind, I feel at least, and also, well, beacuse I think I'm to fabulous to be sad, but that just me and my positive attitude and outlook. But, as I said, an interesting question.

My poems have always come from what affects my heart, my feelings, and occassional the mind.I think the poem writes itself-revealing it's meaning, form, and structure if you just let it breathe.We write emotional poems, we write thought poems, sometimes both combine.Regardless, poetry is poetry no matter how you approach it if you do it right.

Peace, Poetry, & Power,

GaryJ

When I start to write, I just think of a title. The way I feel is how I write it. If I'm sad, then my poem has a sad undertone. But then, I may write a funny poem just to pull myself out of my funk.

I have read some people who write only sad poetry and I wonder sometimes, if they have it in them to write a happy one.

When using emotion to direct your poetry, You can only write what you feel. I have written some poetry, that after writing it I think, wow, where did that come from. These seem to be my best writes.

People think that alot of my poetry is something I have lived through. Well, that is not the case. I have never done or experienced alot of what my poems are related to. But I have a very vivid imagination and I like to use it.

When reading poetry, My mood can change. A poem can lift my spirits, lighten my mood, cause me to look beyond my own thoughts.

This is probably a bunch of dribble to you, but it makes perfect sense to me. Thus is the saying:

"You get out of Poetry, what you read into it."

And although, this is not poetry, I want to think the same standard applies.

Happiness
Jeannie

I believe reading or listening to things that r happy can truelly pick u up. We have to write what we know and feel if your sad your poems r going to be sad if u r happy your poems r going to be happy.

With me the poems kind of write themselves things come to mind then i write what ever it is. I have had those momments when reading my own work of what is this. for exsample my poem "Mixed up world" floored me I was speechless to my own poem.

It's true that we should write what we know. everyone should know happiness so as to know what sadness really is.

If you know happiness then you should be able to write about regardless of mood. I can do it, all the people I know who write (not just poetry) can too.

Music is often a big factor too, I find. You can create mood and situation with the music you choose to write to.

I don't believe that subject content necessarily affects or has any bearing on the writer's state of mind. It is easy to write a poem about depression and suicide no matter how happy you are...all that's needed is a half decent imagination. I honestly believe that it is easier to write sad or depressing or even disturbing poetry than it is to write happy or inspiring poetry as the latter can often sound very forced and trivial. Maybe this is why many less experienced wroters focus on darker topics? Also, personally, I find that when I am feeling down, often writing a poem to reflect this acts as a release from it...once it is written it is out of my system, kind of like I'm purging myself of the unhappy thoughts; so I guess someone who writes a lot of sad poetry may well be much happier because of this. But hey...what do I know?
much love x

Bump (Due to Spam)

`With Many Teens Today The Main Topic Does Seem To Be Sad/Dark, But My Class Wrote And Published An Anthrology Of Poetry And All Topics Were Covered, The Main Topic Were Love And Relationships.. But Many Of The Relationship Poems Were Sad. Bascily Many Of The Teens Wrote About Not Being Heard, Which The Title Came From -Voices Amidst Chaos-.

`I Believe That Teens Write About Sad And Dark Topics Because These Feelings Are The Ones They Cannot Express. Today Many Feel They Cannot Cry, Or Drown In Their Sorrows. So they Write Poetry To Express Their Darkest Emotions.

` When I'm Happy Or Feeling Good Emotions, I'm Not Sitting In Bed Writing, I'm Out In The World, Talking With People. When I'm Sad, Depressed or Angry, I Seclude Myself From People. Therefore I Have No Emotional Outlet. That's Where Poertry Comes In For Me.

`Just My Opinion Of Why I And Many Other Teens Write Dark And Sad Poetry.

x♥x:Lauren

I believe that you can change your state of mind by what you feed into it ,if you dwell on sadness you will feel sad, laughter can completely change your mood, I can feel sad and write a sad poem but that doesn`t dictate the way I run my life, many of my poems are sad and yet I joke ,laugh and enjoy life but then I have my sad times too,aren`t there many aspects to all of us?

bump

i have only just realised that i have never ventured past the catagories of sad, love and dark.

gosh, i fall into this catagory of teens, haha

i will try it well i sorta have tried it..i right all broken friendship and love,sad,and life, but i also try to change it up like not always be sad in them expesially in my friendship poems and it helped my feeling alot. I hope this answered your question !

Kristen xx

It's definitely true. I myself only write when I'm sad, so all of my poems are depressing. It's not that I'm severely depressed (not anymore), it's just that I bring myself the most peace from sadness when I write about it. I don't feel the need to write when I'm happy because the emotions just aren't there ... and, if I'm happy, I've got better things to do.

i think that people write what theyre feeling or whats on their mind... if its sad stuff always on their mind, then that's what they'll write about. same with love....

but then there are the people who are normally happy but just have a knack for creating sad things to write

A lot of people write sad poems, because that's probubly what they're going through or what they feel and relate to/express better then say, a love poem. It doesn't necessarily mean that they're always sad.
I agree that it is a little excessive (or more like, way to excessive, if that makes sense), though. But you don't have to read it. To most this could be the only place to get their sad feelings out, and who are they really hurting?

Bret - I would have to answer your second question with a yes.

If you were to look at my poetry (of course you do not have to), you would find it moves from sad, angry, self-pitiful poetry, to societal exploration.

This change occured for no other reason than my readers. I found that I attracted a certain assortment of readers and wanted to entice poets with different aspects of life. So I wrote about those different aspects of life.
Consequently this form a writing envoked peculiar thoughts in myself, which I had not experienced in a long while.

I would not say my subject matter turned sadness into happiness, but it most definitely changed my state of mind.