Variations on a theme?

(1)
Copyright Matt Groening, "Life in Hell" series, Village Voice, 24 July 1990. (Click on the image for a larger version, then click on the hovering little-box-with-corner-arrows for the largest size.)

(2)

Poems of Passion Carefully Restrained So as to Offend Nobody: II

When you're away, I'm restless, lonely,
Wretched, bored, dejected; only
Here's the rub, my darling dear,
I feel the same when you are here.

- Samuel Hoffenstein, quoted from Poems in Praise of Practically Nothing

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I've kept a copy of the cartoon in a folder for years, and a copy of the poem in my head for longer, but not until today has one brought to mind the other.

Anyway, point is: smile! It's Friday. People are weird and couples are painful, but that's all right.
:)