In class, it has been brought up a few times that Goodman's poems are very "sad" and "depressing." Maybe that could mean different things to different people and even though we are all reading the same poem, everyone gets something unique out of it.
For me, personally, I don't often see pieces of art as depressing. Sure, if I'm listening to Elliott Smith I'm less likely to have an intensely enthusiastic reaction to something than if I'm listening to Kanye West, but I don't think that emotional difference necessarily makes a poem or song or anything depressing. Often times, her poems and poems in general feature dark or sad themes, but I usually see the writing as a reaction to something bothering the author and as a way to exorcise those feelings.
I do read and write quite a bit though, so I think that could influence the way I interprate art and writing specifically. One of the most beautiful things about art is that is can be viewed in an infinite amount of ways and that it will affect every single person in a different way. One person may view Goodman's poetry as depressing while I see it as cathartic. Neither of us are strictly wrong or right and I feel it is important to approach the writing from a lot of different angles to get the most out of it.
Are the poems depressing, cathartic, something else? Does it matter? That's up to you to decide for yourself.