The Four Subjects of Lyric Poetry

a short but comprehensive summary of subjects for lyric poetry.

1. I went out into the woods today and it made me feel, you know, sort of religious.
2. We’re not getting any younger.
3. It sure is cold and lonely (a) without you, honey, or (b) with you, honey.
4. Sadness seems but the other side of the coin of happiness, and vice versa, and in any case the coin is too soon spent and on we know not what.

(William Matthews, ‘Dull Subjects’, via Poetry Off the Shelf)

Of course, none of us would write anything so obvious. Would we?