I never laughed so hard.
A belly laugh so long my sides hurt.
Ended up not remembering why.
Wordku: 5-7-5
AP: 3rd place 2026
Today I was asked to write a poem
about a lady who had spun some dog hair to make a scarf
When you read this unique story
I hope you'll get a jolly belly laugh
Not well washed this scarf that she was wearing
got wet gave off a doggy smell
It happened in the rain while she was walking down the street
All the local male dogs stopped !! In unison clapped their paws
Hooray! At last !!! We've found a bhitch on heat
Holy smoke she shrieked what am I gonna do
in desperation she began to run
Thirty grinning dogs behind her
were having so much fun
Now the moral of this story
just imagine this epic scene
If you're gonna spin with dog hair
make sure it's bloody clean
Since writing this poem my mind is quite agog
Can charge a man with buggery can buy a bastard file can cut my bloody finger
But I had to find a way around how to describe a female dog
(the bhitch she just delivered a litter of six pups. Surprise! surprise !. She was a victim of deletion)
Footnote this is a true story with a wee bit of poetic licence
A belly laugh, a burst of sunlit air,
unleashing chuckles, shaking loose a care.
It thrives on impulse, the absurd, the quick,
a feather brushing where the logic's thick.
Then calculus arrives, a shadowed room,
where axioms hold sway and silence blooms.
Each step precise, a theorem understood,
a measured climb, built on the proven good.
One celebrates the chaos, bright and bold,
a story whispered, never to grow old.
The other seeks a pattern, clean and stark,
a universe defined within a mark.
They meet, perhaps, when insight strikes so deep,
the laughter’s joy allows the mind to leap.
But mostly they exist in separate spheres,
one born of feeling, one of frozen fears...
and hopes, I guess, that order can be found
in every chaos churning all around.
I’ve made a deal,
not much of a price was paid.
One last family meal together—
Dad’s cheeks rosy,
my mother happy,
a playful pinch from my brother,
my sister’s belly laugh.
“What is your favourite room in the house?”
At 8, I said my room.
I was alone a lot,
and convinced myself I liked it.
But now,
in my late twenties,
I cry myself to sleep.
I’ve traded a day of my life
to relive another.
At 25
inside my 8-year-old body—
how do I answer?
The living room.
Where we lived the most together:
movie nights,
salty French toast,
big games,
rewatching recitals—
eating, laughing,
breathing together.
My chest tightens,
my eyes swell.
My dad rests his hand
on my shoulder.
“Well said, baby.
I like this day too.“
Everything is normal
so not much to sing or say.
No summer thunderstorm,
the snow was magical only for an hour.
Old men
aren’t removing women’s panties with removable dentures.
A belly laugh now and then,
an empty belly’s holy.
With simple joy
mortals may forget to fear their deaths.
Simply put,
we do not survive. But what an adventure!
I heard an archangel cry
Don’t hurt the trees!
Also, save democracy.
Also, stop barking, believing in that higher power.
What’s Ken doing today?
Watching TED talk lectures,
planning next Spring’s garden.
It’s Death, not the Jewish king, in your rose garden.
As climates change
species escape predators
and predators chase down prey.
Choose sacrifice or blame.
I look at faces
and they look at mine, mute, animated spirits,
black wet rocks,
victims among flames.
I embrace my anonymity,
lost in my own city
in the shade of a gazebo,
walk the streets and say hello.
When I hear a titter it always makes me sad for it seems repressed
afraid to show its' voice
A normal quiet laugh is a little better
still unsure of its' reception
But a good ole belly laugh makes my heart rejoice
for it is unabashed to make its' voice be known
One day I hope to join the ranks of the belly laugh
to be unashamed and proud of what I am
For laughter is the song of the soul
Just
a bit
too formal,
pearl taffeta
or buttered chiffon;
I’m more into cotton,
something to belly laugh in;
Toes in the sea or a theme park;
Stained all over with a good time,
living in a tank top with rhinestone fringe.
stepp'n down from presidency ~Kamala, de facto nominee
Kamala means lotus flower~accent on Ka,' Zen power
top of the ticket changed~ but the message remains the same
fight for freedom at fifty-nine ~her belly laugh we love, smiles of sunshine
here to stay~as prosecutor put predators away
potential Harris picks~for vice president as time ticks
There is nothing like a good belly laugh
One of lifes absolute pleasures
But a belly laugh and a half
Is a hidden buried treasure!
Lightning's her giggle
Thunder's her belly laugh
Rainbow's Nature's smile
Rivulets run down
Like tears from a weeping hill
Quenching valley's thirst
Stars have no power
There's no magic in moonlight
Rain's not angels' tears
With time and nature
Diamonds from coal and pearls
Congealed oyster spit
You can't fool Nature
She demands variety
All part of the Plan
From Nature's viewpoint
Each season in its own turn
Is the loveliest
Laughter our bodies natural medicine
A wondrous gift we humans possess
Helps alleviate stifled woes
Releases life’s stress
Laughing relaxes your whole being
Life’s worries put temporarily aside
Therapy for heart and soul
That no amount of money can buy
Laughter unites us together
Breaks down our barriers and fears
It’s spontaneous , playful and infectious
Judgements and differences disappear
Spirits uplifted with merriment
Throughout laughter time
Leaving all that negativity
Tension and troubles behind
Hearty, explosive, raucous laughter
Purest medicine for the human soul
Laugh long, hard and loud
Free inhibitions , abandon a little self control!
Surround yourself with positive people
Have a truly hearty laugh
Loosen up and let your hair down ( if you have it!!)
Just enjoy a belly laugh and a half!!!
I somehow or other inadvertently
found myself watching
The Muppets Most Wanted
movie today
And I tell you what I was genuinely
pleasantly surprised
Because it didn't half really make me
proper belly laugh out loud
So much so I would happily give
it 5 stars
And strongly recommend it to anyone
who currently finds themselves in need
of cheering up
Because it is if nothing else choc full of
childish jokes with a wicked sense of humor
Which should help bring a smile to the
face of whomever takes the time to
watch it
And hopefully in doing so in some
small way
May make your day a tiny little bit better
than it was before
And who doesn't want that
Have you ever seen a giraffe
~ working its way through a belly laugh
I
Cheap therapy for the depressed
Think cheery thoughts and smile
Remember some happy occasions
Sing a song from your childhood
Try to develop a positive attitude
And indulge in strenuous exercise.
II
Cheap therapy for the depressed
Look forward to better days ahead
Read the poems of one Ogden Nash
And have a full-throated belly laugh
Watch a comedy on your television
Eat a banana split, if not forbidden.
III
Cheap therapy for the depressed
Never sit around whining and wailing
Remember a funny joke you heard
Or, plan your next exotic vacation
Then visit with a positive friend
You may consider getting a new pet.
IV
Cheap therapy for the depressed
Never let others feed your gloom
Or take you along on their pity trip
Upbeat thoughts will go a long way
Toward altering your state of mind
Soon happier days you will find.
written over several days in June, 2021
on my I-Pad.
Pleasure is Cherry Blossoms blooming as elegant fragrance drift through the air.
Anticipating the first cup of hot chocolate on a cold spring morning
Sitting on a Park Bench and watching the exuberance of dogs chasing frisbees.
Of a Summer gentle wind caressing your face and through your hair.
A blue moon lit night dancing in rhythm from the ripples of the ocean.
Pleasure is watching a baby laugh with delight as your face is smeared with cheese.
Pleasure is watching your child for the first time when they are smothered in mud with smiles.
It is curling up on the couch in your spouse’s arms with a lovely wine, low lights and a romantic movie.
To belly laugh until it hurts at a joke from your friend or a loved one was told.
Pleasure is to share golden moments in time, remembering the beautiful life you have together.
It is walking down memory lane with your parents as their life’s story unfolds.
It is smelling the drifting fragrance of a steak sizzling on the barbeque.
It is the complete euphoric feeling when your brother Jesus makes you whole again.
Sub Categories
Looking for the formal definition, structure, and history of this poetry form? Visit the Poetry Dictionary entry below. Then return to explore how PoetrySoup members bring the form to life through their own poems.