Some say anger and pain are cousins
Always traveling as one.
I’ve felt them both in my days,
Intertwined, solidified,
Almost premeditated,
Enjoying their journey.
But I prefer laughter with my pain.
True partners in survival
A touch of humor in the sorrow
Tempering, if even a shade twisted,
And each glad day
Can carry its drop of pain.
Anger is the natural response to pain and heartbreak, but humor is the healthy response allowing us to process the hurt and eventually move on. This contrast of the two responses was inspired by the Robert Frost poem Fire & ice where he contrasts the two ways the world might end and how he feels about both avenues. Both poems even start with the same first two words.