Let’s dissect Laughter and see
What we get, finally,
Just guffaws or anything more
Is there tagged to it, a mystery?

Laughter seems a simple matter
As is plain, empty, chatter
Ha ha ha, or, haw haw haw
Choose the former or the latter.

The belly shakes as does the Earth
When hit it is by minor quakes
But, disaster lurks in the awnings
Like, too much sugar in the cakes.

Laughter is the best medicine
Said the Philosopher, not the Doctor,
Because the latter knows nothing but “meds”
And, the former thinks he’s the Doctor.

You don’t need Chaplin’s antics
Though Charlie was supreme,
Tugging at his trousers
As though in a dream.

He could look like Hitler
Mustachioed to perfection,
Adolf might have wondered
Was there a connection?

Silent, were those times
And things hidden from view,
Who knows what who was up to
Remember, The Great Dictator, was who?

Life is all about rhyming, isn’t it
Some roads dark and some brightly lit,
Out-of-tune are jarring notes
Broken pipes and broken bits.

Laughter’s truly revealing
Of the state of one’s mind,
The sounds so melodic
That it leaves behind.

Just tell yourself to laugh one day
When you’re by yourself and alone,
Make a face like Laurel did
Or, think your Al Capone.

If, you still don’t get a laugh
Please, go see a “shrink”,
If he can’t be of any use
Think, then dump him in the sink.

Laugh your way to the bank
Eternity’s much better, though,
If you don’t know where that is
You’re worse than a black crow

Now, curse me or laugh
Life’s a lot of gaffes,
(You know, as they say in good Punjabi English,)
“Blunder mistakes,” are what I makes
‘Cause I like English fairies and British jokes.

They think that they are quite funny
Some understated humour,
How on earth are you ever going to laugh
With an under-the-tongue, tumour.

The stiff upper lip, a thorough waste of time
Lovely drooping lips are, indeed, sublime
So, laughter’s best left un- dissected
Just laugh, just laugh, just laugh

And, when the tears roll down
And the “tum” begins to ache,
You will know for sure, that
Laughter, you can make.

(The author is a prolific poet who has over 40 poetry books to his credit. He can be reached at ashoksawhny06@gmail.com/ www.ashoksawhny.com)