The Seven Universal Emotions

There have been times in my life when I have struggled to name the emotion I am feeling.  There are seven main emotions that can be broken down into more complex emotions.  I often use an emotions wheel to help identify exactly what I'm feeling.  However, it occurred to me I could also put it in the form of a poem.  Anger is not an emotion I feel very often anymore  but I thought I'd start with the seven basic emotions in alphabetical order as a starting point with how those emotions might look for a lot of people.

Contempt is a very common trait I see in most people around me, it's something I've been guilty of in the past.  It's one to be careful of.  Most people do it while actually being completely unaware they are doing it.  Having contempt for people around us belittles others and can evoke feelings of insecurity.  

Surprise is a funny one.  Personally, I'm not a fan.  For me, there are no good surprises.  I simply do not like the lack of control I feel when something is sprung on me.  The others are self-explanatory and we are all familiar with them.  One thing that does strike me is the imbalance of negative to positive emotions.  As someone who is not a fan of surprises the only positive basic emotion is joy.  I find it interesting that we have only one positive basic state of being but several negative ones.  I'm not saying more should exist, its just an interesting observation.

The Seven Universal Emotions

Anger

Under the surface a rage does bubble

A wrong word or a look will cause you trouble

Heat radiates from my whole face

Provoke me now and your teeth I’ll displace

The instinct is strong to find something to break

The monster within is suddenly awake

Under the surface a rage does bubble

Leave me alone, walk away on the double

Contempt

I know I’m right and feeling superior

My morals are right and yours are inferior

Your opinion has caused me great outrage

With you, I no longer wish to engage

I stand with an expression of defiance

I await your full and complete compliance

I know I’m right and feeling superior,

My contempt for you makes you feel inferior

Disgust

This food before me I find repulsive

I dry heave, my stomach is convulsive

Its smell, its taste, the feel of its texture

You encourage me to eat with a silent gesture

I wrinkle my nose and a sound I emit

Yuck I say, and my teeth I grit

This food before me I find repulsive

My reactions to it are completely impulsive

Enjoyment/Happiness

My face lights up and a wide smile forms

My whole state of being suddenly transforms

A funny joke or a beautiful song

Makes me laugh or want to sing along

Or a beautiful painting that I can see

Causes me unforeseen glee

My face lights up and a wide smile forms

As a star studded cast in a film performs

Fear

I wonder what has caused the alarm

I look around for a threat of harm

People running, their eyes are wide

I wonder if I too should run or hide

Far in the distance I hear a scream

I wonder if this is all a dream

I wonder what has caused the alarm

A hive of wasps have started to swarm

Sadness

A heaviness leans on my shoulders today,

A fog descends thick and grey,

As I swallow, a lump takes my notice

A single fat tear now becomes my focus

This hollow, empty feeling inside

A friendly face I seek in which to confide

A heaviness leans on my shoulders today

It lingers on to my dismay

Surprise

The last of the seven universal emotions

Some detest going through the motions

Love it or hate no one can deny

A joyful experience or one to make you cry

An unexpected event can make you shake

Not something someone can easily fake

The last of the seven universal emotions

Is surprise with all its noisy commotions