A Dose of Laughter

I'm not well. Can't you tell?
Kinda low, so,
give me a dose of laughter.

Mirth will heal my every ill
and give me rest from my distress.
Now, give me a dose of laughter.

Glee can revive, keep me alive
and give me chance to happy dance.
So, give me a dose of laughter.

I'd crawl a mile for a smile;
but to get relief from my grief
I need a dose of laughter.

Isn't it plain that I'm in pain?
You can relieve if only you'd please
give me a dose of laughter.

Laughter is pure and can surely cure.
What ails my heart would soon depart
If I had a dose of laughter.

I can't be strong for very long.
I'm sinking fast, unless at last
you give me a dose of laughter.

I don't need a pill for my ill.
I'm just spent in lament
and require a dose of laughter.

I must retain what still remain;
but don't delay, I'm in a bad way.
Bring me a dose of laughter.

Though insecure, I want to endure.
But I'm drifting and need uplifting.
Please, give me a dose of laughter.

Even though, I don't know
what it contains that kills my pain.
Just give me a dose of laughter.

It works somehow, so come on now;
Let go of doubt, I can't do without
My healing dose of laughter.

If you wait around I'll surely be found
lying dead in my bed.
Rush me my dose of laughter.

Rev. Saundra L. Washington, is an ordained clergywoman, social worker, and Founder of AMEN Ministries, http://www.clergyservices4u.org. She is also the author of two coffee table books: Room Beneath the Snow, Poems that Preach and Negative Disturbances, Homilies that Teach.

In The News:

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2008/10/12/dozens_get_in_the_rhythm_for_states_1st_poetry_festcid=0ei=PNzxSPrxJqGO6AOFv8S5Bwusg=AFQjCNECjR7ZsWvqTz2RGBVJ4lb3N2b4ZAimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=wJq9CimYrHUJimgurl=cache.boston.com/bonzai-fba/Globe_Photo/2008/10/11/1223769683_6525.jpg width=53 height=80 alt= border=1brfont size=-2Boston Globe/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2008/10/12/dozens_get_in_the_rhythm_for_states_1st_poetry_festcid=0ei=PNzxSPrxJqGO6AOFv8S5Bwusg=AFQjCNECjR7ZsWvqTz2RGBVJ4lb3N2b4ZADozens get in the rhythm for state#39;s 1st bpoetry/b fest/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fBoston Globe,nbsp;United Statesnbsp;-/font nobr4 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1By John M. Guilfoil LOWELL - To Susan Roney-O#39;Brien, bpoetry/b is a rock-solid constant in an otherwise unpredictable life. quot;bPoetry/b is so important, b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.elpasotimes.com/living/ci_10698135cid=1256781577ei=PNzxSPrxJqGO6AOFv8S5Bwusg=AFQjCNFkQGJP3UAUUM6-eXynxB_8maWcmwEl Paso doctor adds essays to bpoetry/b in 2nd collection/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fEl Paso Times,nbsp;TXnbsp;-/font nobr5 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1b.../b specialist and self-taught writer who first exposed his private thoughts in quot;The Forgotten Garden,quot; a self-published bilingual collection of bpoetry/b. b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/12700/Peter-Ross-Liquor-laureate-whose.4583408.jpcid=1256632370ei=PNzxSPrxJqGO6AOFv8S5Bwusg=AFQjCNFo5rIRCI_K7fLClwR7DvUftImYDwPeter Ross: Liquor laureate whose bpoetry/b is the toast of the town/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fScotland on Sunday,nbsp;UKnbsp;-/font nobr15 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1quot;There are dedicated Felix Dennis fans mouthing the bpoetry/b as he reads it, but there are also, clearly, those who have come for a free piss-up. b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.newsobserver.com/105/story/1252024.htmlcid=0ei=PNzxSPrxJqGO6AOFv8S5Bwusg=AFQjCNEaVRuyrLO_qZINeVvH1BU2puFYhQThe birth of bpoetry/b online/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fNews Observer,nbsp;NCnbsp;-/font nobr5 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1From the exchanges, the excellent bpoetry/b Web site bPoetry/b Daily (www.poems.com) was born. quot;The law publishing business was one of the first to get involved b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/showbiz-and-lifestyle/news/2008/10/11/review-play-s-poetry-a-hit-with-the-pre-teens-91466-22010553/cid=1256388882ei=PNzxSPrxJqGO6AOFv8S5Bwusg=AFQjCNG9q_bhcHgj70X18GI-LH1IIh3LTAReview: Play’s bpoetry/b a hit with the pre-teens/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fWalesOnline,nbsp;United Kingdomnbsp;-/font nobrOct 11, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1DIC Edwards’ latest, and maybe even last, play for young people is all about bpoetry/b. But at the same time Boy, written for Spectacle Theatre, b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/10/AR2008101000882.htmlcid=1255809502ei=PNzxSPrxJqGO6AOFv8S5Bwusg=AFQjCNHHpS2BwUfYx71C7UMEvPTlp8PmqQimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=q1I4ptJoigoJimgurl=media3.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/photo/2008/10/10/PH2008101000884.jpg width=80 height=59 alt= border=1brfont size=-2Washington Post/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/12/weekinreview/12orr.htmlcid=1255809502ei=PNzxSPrxJqGO6AOFv8S5Bwusg=AFQjCNH_rZDDnufbgJM9eXT2mgrox3g_rAIdeas amp; Trends Yet Once More, a Laurel Not Bestowed/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fNew York Times,nbsp;United Statesnbsp;-/font nobr12 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1The only problem is that the first half of the 20th century is widely considered a golden age of American bpoetry/b — a judgment supported not only by critics, b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Opinion/Editorial/COUNTER_VIEW_Juries_have_to_look_beyond_literary_merit/articleshow/3582083.cmscid=1255809502ei=PNzxSPrxJqGO6AOFv8S5Bwusg=AFQjCNHMZ-p8wyIgyxJ4A6A517tT4GiNPACOUNTER VIEW: Juries have to look beyond literary merit/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrTimes of India/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.insidehighered.com/views/2008/10/08/mclemeecid=1255809502ei=PNzxSPrxJqGO6AOFv8S5Bwusg=AFQjCNEQfZPnFMenXAWvl3_s47_NSq13hgIg-Nobel Thoughts/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrInside Higher Ed/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://features.csmonitor.com/books/2008/10/08/odds-favor-amos-oz-for-nobel-prize-in-literature/cid=1255809502ei=PNzxSPrxJqGO6AOFv8S5Bwusg=AFQjCNGGgIPHMjlJ0GekmmFlYy4UJ9x9ewOdds favor Amos Oz for Nobel Prize in Literature/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrChristian Science Monitor/nobr/font/fontbrfont class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1255809502hl=ennobrall 1,406 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2008/1011/1223676792355.htmlcid=0ei=PNzxSPrxJqGO6AOFv8S5Bwusg=AFQjCNHARkJl31lNlt_iBUzFxnQkMI5xPwbPoetry/b Ireland celebrates 30th birthday/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fIrish Times,nbsp;Irelandnbsp;-/font nobrOct 10, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1THE IRISH College and the Irish Embassy threw a spectacular 30th birthday party for bPoetry/b Ireland, featuring readings by leading Irish writers. b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www2.arkansasonline.com/news/2008/oct/12/realism-lure-billy-collins-poetry-20081012/%3Fsubscriber/nationalcid=0ei=PNzxSPrxJqGO6AOFv8S5Bwusg=AFQjCNFY0Z1XnMOGQl_m1hUSnQSjQ6223ARealism is the lure in Billy Collins’ bpoetry/b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fArkansas Online (subscription),nbsp;ARnbsp;-/font nobr1 hour ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1BY JANET MASLIN THE NEW YORK TIMES Ballistics, by Billy Collins, 112 pages, Random House, $24 The poem is called “Old Man Eating Alone in a Chinese b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.eveningsun.com/ci_10699267cid=0ei=PNzxSPrxJqGO6AOFv8S5Bwusg=AFQjCNFzbHD7meJLzNS_5Hu7dJ4xZuDSWwbPoetry/b: bPoetry/b and photography are close kin/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fThe Evening Sun,nbsp;PAnbsp;-/font nobr9 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Recently, I have been seeing a link between my bpoetry/b and my photography. At first I felt they must be related because I love both arts so well, b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.tehrantimes.com/index_View.asp%3Fcode%3D179750cid=1256321814ei=PNzxSPrxJqGO6AOFv8S5Bwusg=AFQjCNE8ui8F6NPZadSacuVEPDECRQolfgHafez bpoetry/b is imbued with spirituality of Quran: Khorramshahi/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fTehran Times,nbsp;Irannbsp;-/font nobrOct 10, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1TEHRAN -- Hafez bpoetry/b is imbued with spirituality that emanates from the Quran, Hafez expert Baha’eddin Khorramshahi told MNA on the occasion of Hafez b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
poetry - Google News


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