Written as a simple list, the poem shows a speaker whose emotions are never taken at face value. Each feeling is paired with the label the family puts on it: happiness is "high," sadness is "playing the victim," anger is "irrational," and so on. The opening line, with its parenthetical "(or rather, their causes)," hints at the twist. These aren't really the speaker's feelings, only the family's explanations for them, which is exactly the problem.
The tone is flat and deadpan, almost like a chart or a report. That coolness feels like a defense. The speaker doesn't shout or plead, just lays out the evidence. Even good emotions get brushed off: trust becomes "naive," surprise is "faking it," and anticipation is "not worth anyone's time." The poem leaves a lonely, tired mood, and judging by the list, the speaker feels unheard and quietly worn down by being misread.