Laughter Meant to do Good (poem) by Phyllis Jean Green on AuthorsDen

Laughter Meant to do Good
by Phyllis Jean Green → (All Poetry by Phyllis Jean Green)
Rated "PG13" by the Author.

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They laughed when Mahatma Ghandi sat down to starve. They laughed when Martin Luther King said he had a Dream. They laughed at Carrie Nation when she tried to save women from being beaten and children from going hungry, and worse. They laughed at suffragettes when they said women should vote. They laughed at the shooting from a grassy knoll in Dallas. They laughed at Abraham Lincoln when he failed a n d succeeded. They laughed at slaves they reduced to "bucks" and "wenches." They laughed when they separated families forever. They laughed, oh how they laughed, at "rights." They laughed they had sneaked to sagging cabins to rape. They laughed at lynchings, they laughed at hangings, They laughed at beheadings, they laughed at the cries of agony as people stretched on racks. They laughed at Jimmy Carter with his sweaters and his prayers. They laughed until their victims retched. Baby got shot? Stop, you�re killin'm. Ha Ha Ha Ha. Roll the film again. Ha Ha Ha Ha. They laughed at Sojourner Truth. They laughed in the Forum, they laughed selling opium. They laughed pushing laudanum. They laughed at the workers they treated like pawns. Burn, baby, burn. At Tienneman Square, and when the Towers fell, and at prisoners being pulled by leashes, naked, in hoods. They laughed at the idea that a "homasekshal" could earn a Purple Heart and a Native American deserved more than a "rez." They laughed at "crips" and "retards." Birthmarks, paraplegics, body bags. "Sentiment," loyalty, patriotism, faith. They laughed at history. They laughed at their friends, but never themselves. Laugh everybody, here comes an "artiste." Painter, sculptor, musician, writer, philosopher, priest. Janitor, prizefighter, nerd. They laughed at Buddha, they laughed at Jesus Christ. They laughed at Thomas Edison. Madame Curie, hoo-ha. "Slants," "gooks," "micks," "kykes." Auschwitz. Dachau. They laughed at Florence Nightingale as she tended to soldiers, blood staining her apron, a severed thumb in her hand. They laughed at Pollyannas, they laughed at blood-smeared flags. At pain never having knifed through their own bodies and minds. They laughed, and they laugh. But they will not --will not -- have the last laugh. Phyllis Jean Green, September 2l, 2004

Reviewed by A Serviceable Villain

Reviewed on September 27, 2004

Phyllis,

Kudos on this one - an exceptional piece ... Bravo!!

Robert

Reviewed by Regis Auffray

Reviewed on September 25, 2004

Wow! Powerful and an education in itself. Thank you. Love and peace. Regis

Reviewed by Karla Dorman, The StormSpinner

Reviewed on September 24, 2004

(((pea)))

STANDING OVATION!

yes, yes, YES!!!!!!!!!!!! this is powerful and inspiring--thank you, a keeper

(((HUGS))) and love, karla.

Reviewed by Mitzi Jackson

Standing On my feet
clapping*
this is one for the books
so inspiring so emotive so powerful
you can feel the building, the moumentum
almost speechless!!! **
`
this is Outstanding Poetry
Speak to the People!!!!

Reviewed by Lori Moore

Yes, they did... and NO, they won't. Enjoyed.

Reviewed by Cynth'ya Reed

Reviewed on September 23, 2004

Girlfren' you are obviously a lover of history, but more than that, one who puts history into lessons for the here-and-now. The only term that stumped me was "homasekshal", but from the context, expanding on a few descriptions might even give this more of a knock out punch. Wait, I take that back. . . this should be sent to every conservative self-righteous "I'm right God is on our side" hypocrits mailing list, bathroom mirror, and office computer monitor. Advice: Get a copy of the Sept/Oct. issue of Poets and Writers Magazine. Rita Dove is on the cover. There is a wonderful poet, Ha Jin, who was part of the Chinese Army years ago, knows first hand of Tienneman Square, and lo and behold why would they have to have a story about WHY WRITERS SHOULD BEWARE OF THE PATRIOT ACT signed by George W. Bush, and the section we all overlook called SECTION 215, which is on page 69 of the magazine. How ironic, the page number coincides perfectly with "getting (fill in the blank) by the government trying to shut us all up, and doing it in a way called Patriotic, but smacks of nothing less than Marxism. Get a copy, see for yourself.

Let's just say that if the FBI saw this poem you wrote, you'd be missing tomorrow without a trace, and so would your computer files. Just read that article, it makes me wonder what kind of nation we are in now. Our founding fathers would be turning in their graves if they could see what's happening in the name of Holy Halliburton.

blessin's on a kick-butt poem Sis. Keep the keyboard busy!
cynth'ya lewis reed

Reviewed by Carmen Ruggero

Your voice built up momentum and then went full speed ahead to a crash landing -- till the laughter became so grotesque, it all looked dark and sinister, and it wasn't funny any more. I love writers like you. You come into the den once in a while, and stop my heart. Great piece of writing.

hugs,
Carmen :-)

Reviewed by Safi Abdi

Powerful and truthful. Glad I met you!
Safi

Reviewed by Retta (Reindeer) Mckenzie

Reviewed on September 22, 2004

Absolutely Excellent! Powerful and so true! I loved this,

Reindeer

Reviewed by Dawn Richerson

Excellent. excellent. excellent. this far-reaching, sweeping indictment on those who WILL NOT, can not, must not have the last laugh hits all the bases. I hope many, many people read this and are moved by its message as was I. Thank you for your poetic, prophetic voice here. Dawn

Reviewed by Kate Clifford (Reader)

Powerful write with a very strong ending message! Great write!