My Sad Self

No, I am not sad. No, I will not commit suicide, although after reading this poem, anyone could. My Sad Self, written by Allen Ginsberg, is a poem about loneliness it a city full of people.

The character in the poem seems to take the elevator to the top of a building to look down upon everyone and is apparently depressed. The poem showed a small glimmer of hope. Instead of committing suicide, the character goes back down the elevator in the middle of the poem. Although depressed and alone, he gets out and is able to go back into the city. When walking around the streets the character realizes that he is people watching but that nobody watches him. Nobody cares. He remembers past lovers he has lost while describing the noisy streets.

After reading the Sunflower Sutra this poem is kind of a let down. When read aloud it felt choppy and hard, or maybe I was just reading it wrong. I don't really suggest anyone should read this poem if they don't have to. Instead, check out the Sunflower Sutra.