MOOD INDIGO

Shireesh Joshi

Why does poetry have such monopoly,

over melancholy?

Why are verses so sad and tearful?

Seldom cheerful?

Why do poets aspire to be a master

of disaster?

Why are their only source of clues,

the blues?

Why is sadness the basis of lyrical flight,

not delight?

Why is this rhythmic cousin of prose

so morose?

The culprit as far as I can guage,

is language.

Sad words are deep and rich.

Making for intricate semantic interaction.

Happy words are simple which

give no such literary satisfaction.

But surely a forum named sunlight

can serve up poems that are bright.

Will one of you take this up, so thereafter

we can please look forward to some laughter?