The Pessimist

This poem, The Pessimist, describes what a pessimist is like. Surely not like someone you want to be, or, someone you want to hang out with. A sad reflection of a person with no hope.

The Pessimist

The pessimist's a cheerless man;
To him the world's a place
Of anxious thoughts and clouds and gloom;
Smiles visit not his face.

Though brightest sunshine floods the earth,
And flowers are all ablow,
He spreads depression where he can
By dismal tales of woe.

The pessimist's a hopeless man,
He's full of doubt and fear;
No radian visions come to him
Of glad days drawing near.

The pessimist's a joyless man,
He finds no sweet delight
In making this a happier world,
In fighting for the right

He views the future with alarm
He sees no light ahead;
Most wretched of all men is he,
Because his hope is dead.

The poem, A Pessimist, in our opinion is truly a sad way to live! Nothing and nowhere are key words in this poem giving you a sense of hopelessness!

A Pessimist

Nothing to do but work,
Nothing to eat but food.
Nothing to wear but clothes
To keep one from going nude.

Nothing to breathe but air.
Quick as a flash 'tis gone;
Nowhere to fall but off.
Nowhere to stand but on.

Nothing to comb but hair.
Nowhere to sleep but in bed.
Nothing to weep but tears.
Nothing to bury but dead.

Nothing to sing but songs.
Ah, well! Alas! Alack!
Nowhere to go but out.
Nowhere to come but back.

Nothing to read but words.
Nothing to cast but votes.
Nothing to hear but sounds.
Nothing to sail but boats.

Nothing to see but sights.
Nothing to quench but thirst.
Nothing to have but what we've got.
Thus through life we are cursed.

Nothing to strike but a gait.
Everything moves that goes.
Nothing at all but commonsense
Can ever withstand these woes.

This is one recipe you do not want to follow!

A Recipe For Pessimism

Live in the passive voice;
Be intent on what you can get rather
Than on what you can do.

Live in the subjunctive mood,
Meditating on what might be rather
Than what actually is.

Live in the third person,
Finding fault with other people
Instead of setting your own affairs in order,
And prescribing their duties
Rather than attending to your own.

Live in the plural number,
Following the opinions and standards of
Respectability of other people
Rather than your own perception of what is fit and proper.

Keep these rules faithfully,
Always measuring the worth of life
In terms of personal pleasure
Rather than in terms of growth of character, of service, of high ends —
And You will be a pessimist before you know it.

The Bright Side

There's a bad side, 'tis the sad side -
Never mind it!
There's a bright side, 'tis the right side -
Try and find it!
Pessimism's, but a screen
Thrust the light and you between -
But the sun shines bright, I ween,
Just behind it!

Silver Lining

I scoffed at the "silver lining";
I sneered at Hope. The care
That fell about my every hour
Cast shadow everywhere.

My little daughter listened
And, smiling, made reply,
"I thought that shadows never fell
Unless the sun were nigh! "