We all know that happiness isn't always the easiest thing to come by. People look for it in all sorts of places and often feel disappointed when it doesn't magically appear. But in "good times," happiness is probably the easiest thing in the world to feel, so long as we keep sight of the simple pleasures like family, singing, and dancing in the kitchen. In Clifton's poem, true happiness comes from family and the time we spend with those we love, with or without money, success, and all of those complicated things.
Questions About Happiness
- How does the speaker portray happiness in the poem? What kind of language does she use in order to do so?
- How does the speaker convince us that happiness isn't something that's overly complicated or hard to get?
- Do you agree that happiness is a relatively easy thing to feel if we remember the good times? Why or why not?
- Are people just naturally happier when they sing and dance? Do you think self-expression is the only true happy pill we have?
Chew on This
Happiness, just like family, isn't always perfect. But in Clifton's poem it's still easy to feel when we think about the good times instead of the bad.
Family and loved ones are the true providers of happiness, no matter if we're feeling up or down in Clifton's poem.