Down

In my garden; warm and sunny In my paddock; fluffy bunny In my pocket; ample money Why, my friend, is nothing funny In my fridge; a nice cool beer In my life, I’ve nought to fear Another Christmas, drawing near Why, my friend, have I no cheer No remorse for any sin No big chore I must begin Ice and lemon in my gin Why, my friend, have I no grin For no reason, wear a frown All day in my dressing gown Got no need to visit town Only one direction; down Nothing makes my spirits rowdy Cocktail cabinet looks like Saudi Reaper in my dream said, “Howdy.” Then I woke… today is cloudy. 9 May 2023 Contest: Anatomy of Melancholy Sponsor: Craig Cornish

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Sam Kauffman

Date: 5/16/2023 10:25:00 AM

Truly, Terry, melancholy is contagious infecting our sense of the positive, distorting our viewpoint. Wonderful rhymes that flow. Wonderful use of the question at the end of each stanza! This poem so wonderfully conveys your honest feelings! Congratulations on your win! Blessings! May the sun break through the clouds!

Kim Rodrigues

Date: 5/15/2023 6:39:00 AM

Excellent, Terry! Congratulations!

Terry Flood
Date: 5/15/2023 4:13:00 PM

Thank you, Kim. Not easy to write ‘down’ cos I never am… I consider myself very very lucky.

Christuraj Alex

Date: 5/14/2023 8:26:00 PM

Very interesting writing. Congratulations!

Terry Flood
Date: 5/15/2023 4:14:00 PM

Thanks, Christuraj

Daniel Turner

Date: 5/14/2023 7:58:00 PM

This is first rate, Terry. i really like this one. Great write!

Terry Flood
Date: 5/15/2023 4:18:00 PM

Appreciated, Daniel. Thank you. Terry

Deb M

Date: 5/12/2023 5:31:00 AM

Great poem clever Terry!! Enjoyed…..Debx

Terry Flood
Date: 5/15/2023 4:21:00 PM

Thanks, Deb. I am a truly annoying ‘happy’ person… I just don’t do ‘down’… but I’ve seen it, sometimes at close quarters…. So, ‘Snap out of it’ is not in my vocabulary. Glad you ‘enjoyed’. Terry

Andrea Dietrich

Date: 5/10/2023 1:07:00 PM

hahaha. Not sure it's what Craig has in mind, but for me, it's go to the head of the class. I find it great dark humor.

Terry Flood
Date: 5/10/2023 1:30:00 PM

Thanks, Andrea. I really wasn’t too sure as per its appropriateness, (as I told Tom, below) but I felt it worked. I’ve never experienced depression but I’ve certainly observed it in others and I would hate to underplay it’s ‘stranglehold’.

Ilene Bauer

Date: 5/10/2023 1:04:00 PM

this is perfect for a contest about melancholy, terry, but i sure hope it's a fictional write...

Terry Flood
Date: 5/10/2023 1:16:00 PM

Thankyou, Ilene. I actually wrote this some six to nine months ago (with a different final stanza). I don’t know if this sounds daft, but I felt at the time, that, as someone who is invariably positive and never downhearted, I wasn’t qualified to write from the ‘depressed’ perspective. For that reason, I never posted it. The contest gave me the excuse to offer it up for inspection. So yes, fictional, but with every sympathy for those who might experience anything similar to my ‘observation’.

Tom Cunningham

Date: 5/9/2023 7:10:00 PM

Many find themselves in that dark place Terry and fear they'll never see sunshine again. You captured that Melancholic state well. Good luck in the contest. Hope alls well. Tom

Terry Flood
Date: 5/10/2023 1:21:00 PM

Thanks, Tom. A slightly modified previously un-posted poem. Wasn’t 100% sure it fitted the remit, but I find it difficult to separate melancholy from depression so I went with it. Hope you’re well, and your muse is awakening. Terry