We are not Always Glad when we Smile
The poem explores the idea that a smile can be a facade, hiding underlying emotions of sadness and pain. It suggests that people often wear a mask of happiness to conceal their true feelings, which may be rooted in disappointment or disillusionment with life. The speaker argues that this forced smile is not genuine and can lead to emotional numbness.
By James Whitcomb Riley · First published 1883 · Genre: Poetry, Philosophical, Psychological · 294 words
First lines
We are not always glad when we smile: Though we wear a fair face and are gay, And the world we deceive May not ever believe We could laugh in a happier way. -- Yet, down in the deeps of the soul, Ofttimes, with our faces aglow, There's an ache and a moan That we know of alone, And as only the hopeless may know.
We are not always glad when we smile, -- For the heart, in a tempest of pain, May live in the guise Of a smile in the eyes As a rainbow may live in the rain; And the stormiest night of our woe May hang out a radiant star Whose light in the sky Of despair is a lie As black as the thunder-clouds are.
What this Textopian page supports
We are not Always Glad when we Smile is listed on Textopian as a poem by James Whitcomb Riley, dated 1883 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: James Whitcomb Riley
- Date: 1883 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, Philosophical, Psychological, Religious, Melancholic
- Length: 294 words
- Structure: 1 section, 3 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
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Similar titles
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Genres
- Poetry — The work is structured in verse form with rhyme and meter, characteristic of poetry.
- Philosophical — The themes explore deep existential and emotional truths about human nature and the facade of happiness.
- Psychological — The text delves into the inner emotional states and conflicts of individuals, focusing on the contrast between outward appearances and inner feelings.
- Religious — There are references to the conscience and the sight of the Lord, indicating a spiritual or religious dimension.
Tags
Poetry · American Literature · 19th Century Literature · Humor · Satire · Social Commentary · Observational Humor · Wit · Irony · Literary Satire · Folk Wisdom · Country Life