Poetry Thursday- July 13th

This weeks Poetry Thursday asked:

To find humor in poetry. Perhaps you chose to approach this idea by sharing a funny poem that you love or introducing others to a poet whose work is humorous. Or maybe you wrote a humorous poem yourself — or one that has an element of humor to it.

After spending some time thinking about what I find funny, I was left blank. So I let my mind drift and fall wherever it felt comfortable. With the news of the impeding war Israel is launching in Lebanon, the train terrorism in India, and the war in Iraq as the backdrop to the birth of my daughter, I felt overwhelmed with emotions. So I wrote this poem. Is it funny? I am not sure. It feels strange to be so happy and content, but then to hear the news. It all feels absurd, and absurdity is one of the definitions of humor? Is it not?


hu·mor

sometimes it all pours in at once.
someone asks for something laughable
something amusing;
somewhere armies advance
bombs drop

induce laughter
a voice pleas:
amidst her screaming
she shits all over my leg.

sometimes it all pours in at once.
someone asks for something laughable
something amusing;
somewhere the trains explode
ear drums shatter

perceive,
enjoy,
express what is amusing:
she squints in sun light
and jams thumb into mouth.

sometimes it all pours in at once.
someone asks for something laughable
something amusing;
somewhere the ground shakes
voices break down doors

it’s comical,
incongruous,
absurd
this temporary state of mind.

this sudden, unanticipated whim.
makes us laugh
not knowing if we should.

Author’s note: I just wanted to state that I realize that 2% of poetry is inspiration and magic, while 98% is hard work, revising, revising and revising. The poems I post here for Poetry Thursday are not finished products, but first thought best thought first drafts. I hope to use this forum to motivate me to produce drafts that I can work with to produce better crafted work. I would appreciate any comments and feel free to critique actually craft points, such as word choice, rhythm, tone etc... Please be constructive about what works and what doesn’t work, but please keep in mind these poems are not meant to be read as finished work. I would appreciate if you would stay polite, but I don’t always need to hear the poem is “good” or “bad” please try and tell me why. Thanks in advance; I am so excited to be a part of this forum.