(NB: the poem is followed by rhyme-free text!)
***
laughter wobbles in my belly
swiftly turns me into jelly!
bubbles up and tickles my lips
then frolicks on my fingertips!
ruffles up my hair
swirls around the air
and spreads the giggles
carries the joy
and boy oh boy!
now everyone wiggles!
as the laughter trickles
down to every cranny and nook
between the covers of every book
onto rooftops, into knickers
and lo and behold:
nobody bickers!
nobody fights, nobody litters!
it’s no longer cold
the air’s warm with smiles
only shrieks of laughter for miles and miles!
***
I few years ago I was the victim of a laughter assault! At an outdoor family event, a man very purposefully strode towards me with a wide grin on his face, his right arm outstretched. He took my hand and started to shake it. And he laughed.
At first I was embarrased, his laughter seemed fake and he seemed like a nutcake, but I quickly realized that he was not going to let go of my hand until I started to laugh too. And of course I did, it was impossible not to. He then wished me a nice a day and walked towards his next victim..
I found out that he was there with a bunch of other people from a laughter yoga group. They were all wearing brightly-colored ha ha ha! tee shirts. The idea of laughter yoga is that fake laughter inevitably turns into the real thing and combined with eye-contact and breathing exercises it is very beneficial for people’s well-being. Amen to that!