Image courtesy of aboutwildanimals.com
For day 5, Maureen’s prompt challenged us to “write a poem in which laughter comes at what might otherwise seem an inappropriate moment.” Read more about the prompt here. Don’t miss all the great poetry resources she provides and the many poets who are taking on this challenge of 30 poems in 30 days!
Below is my offering of “inappropriate” laughter (or is it?) for day five!
Hyena
“Laughing and crying, you know, it’s the same release” (Joni Mitchell)
laughing like a hyena
laughing it all away—
sadness deeper than Lake Superior
or a gold mine or an oil pump
at the bottom of the sea
you said this is the last time
you can come home
the last time I will let you in
I laughed!
told myself I laughed to keep
from crying
I waved goodbye from
the closed car window
laughing loud down the driveway
laughing louder than the wheels
humming on the highway
laughing it all away
Jacquelyn Markham (4/5/2023)
Poet Voice 