Sadness Comes

The poem's primary literary device

The poem's primary literary device is the personification of sadness as a character - a woman who visits the speaker like an unwelcome guest. Sadness

The poem uses extended metaphor

The poem uses extended metaphor to compare emotional struggle with a social visit. The speaker's attempt to refuse sadness at the door represents our

The poem's tone shifts throughout

The poem's tone shifts throughout, reflecting the speaker's changing perspective. It begins with a tone of rejection and resistance - the speaker does

The poem celebrates vulnerability as strength

The poem celebrates vulnerability as strength rather than weakness. The speaker's worry that friends will 'loathe' sadness reflects real social anxiet

The poem addresses the stigma surrounding

The poem addresses the stigma surrounding emotional struggle and mental health. The speaker's fear of judgment - that friends would 'think me lesser f