FOR THE HUMORISTS

Published January 23, 2021 by Nan Mykel

Is a sense of humor catching
or just comes with the genes?
When did you start laughing,
and did you ever stop?
Do you ever laugh out loud reading
or when you’ve made a blooming mess?
In seccret do you find dark humor funny
or leave a meeting due to giggles?
Have you felt the laughter healing,
reassured in the belly that you’re
onto a good thing: you!

Do blacks laugh more than whites?
Seems they maybe do–black women,
solid underneath. I remember Georgia,
black sitter for us kids, who laughed at
Arthur Godfrey and all the little Godfreys,
Warm and cheery, she laughed until
her husband died and left us because
she cold not repay my father’s loan.
I hope she’s out there somewhere a laughing
up a storm with humor deeper than tears.

If humor’s a defense, Hail Mary!
All my bases are covered.

WRIT SANS MUSE

Published June 18, 2020 by Nan Mykel

Haven’t heard from her in a while.
Corona virus’s got our tongue.
I refer of course to my muse and
me. I put my ear down to the floor.
Writing without her I abhor.
She’s either dead or deep asleep.
Well, I know she likes friends, and
since I’ve been lax with too much
time in quarantine, I go down
the stairs with tea and toast to find
her slumped, her cauldron cold–
dead, or perhaps she’s only old?
Hearing me, she lets out a yell;
which tells me that my muse is well.
She breathes fire and cauldron boils,
paying off her former toils.
The look she gives me is rueful, but
then cackling she rubs her hands
and shoots at me with rubber bands.

BACKSTORY: I labored long over a similar verse but lost it into the computer gizzards. It was lost but the idea kept haunting me, so I decided to publish the above without my muse participating. Perchance another day she’ll help me do better. If I lose this one too, I’ll acquiesce…..