she would start
laughing hysterics
not demurely as the lady with a spanish fan
hiding her mirth
but belly shaking as the dancer with
cymbals, focusing her energy
on thumping the floor
with feet and outstretched hands
holding a beer bottle or cigarette in the air
as if her lungs cannot hold back the tides
of comic absurdity
of tall tales of hilarity
the sound was contagious as a virus
& we would fall "dying" on the floor
her laugher now echoes in my head
like a bookmarked page
in our family's album
Posted for dVerse Poets Pub - Poetics: Just for Laughs, Hosted by Mish. Join us at 3pm EST when the virtual doors of our poetry community opens. Thanks for your visits and comments.
I would wish more of such contageous laughter.... it sounds like a wonderful memory to have.
ReplyDeleteLove this especially; "belly shaking as the dancer with cymbals, focusing her energy on thumping the floor with feet." Gorgeously rendered, Grace 💖💖
ReplyDeleteWhat a vivid snapshot of her character and especially her laugh. Laughter makes such a lasting impression. This really brought a smile to my face.
ReplyDeleteLovely way to store her laughter
ReplyDeletemuch♡love
She sounds like such a fun person! Wonderful memories for you.
ReplyDeleteWell done, Grace! The wonderful sound of laughter is very contagious!
ReplyDeleteContagious like the church giggles! You know you shouldn't laugh but you can't help it 🤣
ReplyDeleteYour description of her is so fabulous. I can just picture her and hear the laughter she spread by just being her hilarious self. What a great poem.
ReplyDeleteI love the energy of the scene you’ve created, Grace. I especially like these: “as if her lungs cannot hold back the tides
ReplyDeleteof comic absurdity
of tall tales of hilarity”
And the end, how you compare the echoes of laughter with a bookmarked page of an album.❤️
This poem conveys the shared joy of laughter so well. Something so worth remembering.
ReplyDeleteHi Grace, this is a great poem. An excellent take on the prompt.
ReplyDeleteWhat a character - what a portrait - what a memory, Grace
ReplyDeleteI love the image I got from your description of her laughter.
ReplyDeleteI love the rich imagery in this Grace
ReplyDelete