Laughter Poem by Francis Duggan

Banish all sad thoughts from your mind to make room for joy and laughter
For this may be the only life you'll have there may not be a
hereafter
The years go by so quickly and time we cannot borrow
And make the most of this day there may not be a tomorrow.

The ageing bloke across the way is bent from toil and labour
He spends most of his spare time quarrelling with his next door neighbour
He claims his neighbour built the fence six inches on his side of the border
And the cops have even been around to restore law and order.

He gets so angry and worked up about a trivial matter
And he's not a happy man at all he seems 'mad as a hatter'
He's hoary gray and three score years and he's not short of a dollar
Yet about a few inches of ground he gets 'hot under the collar'.

But like him there are many more who like to stir up trouble
Who argue over trivial things the anger in them bubble
They grumble like baby in the cot who needs a change of nappy
If they had laughter in their hearts they might learn to be happy.

This may be our only chance of life there may not be a hereafter
So why be angry, sour or sad when these feelings suppress laughter
The angry man with his neighbour quarrel and to his grudge keeps clinging
Whilst the carefree one knows how to smile and his laugh with joy is ringing.