Laughter Can Save Lives

The elevator opens and I say
“thank you so much for bringing it up for me”
and she walks away laughing
as I ride down to the bottom floor.
But that was before, when we had
a building over our heads.

What if I gave all my laughs away to others?

I post Far Side cartoons about vaccination
in the department’s chat channel,

parody lyrics to songs everyone knows. 90% of my friends will not repost—
a picture of a fence.
There is no snow day, only Zoom
Laughter is the best gift I have for my friends.
Laughter can save lives.

What if I gave all my laughs away to others?

What if I had none left for myself?
Laughter doesn’t come back as an echo
and the only reflection is in someone else’s face
(emojis don’t count).
                                They say to be a black magician
the first thing you give up is laughter.
Laughter can save your soul.

What if I gave all my laughs away to others?

Books Available
The Day of My First Driving Lesson
Country Well-Known as an Old Nightmare's Stable
High-Voltage Lines
Knocking from Inside