The Book of Jokes – Poem#21 – National Poetry Month

By vinodnarayan on April 21, 2015 • ( 0 )

This story has never been told before
It is about this guy who travelled
with his book of jokes
He would carry it with him where ever he goes
giving a joke to everyone in need

He said that people need to learn one joke
that they can use when it is most needed
At least one joke to break the ice.
Ice that is made of the coldness
that creeps into people’s mind

But his jokes were not for everyone
they were special, gifted only to
those who were dying
He said people facing death
needed a joke to die in peace
and laugh at those alive
He would whisper it into their ears
and they would laugh and die
The world of the alive wondered
what were these jokes

The world was divided on his jokes
Some said they were passports to hell
others claimed it opened the door heaven
for those who did not believe in hell or heaven
they laughed at the believers till
they fell down and died

No one knew what the jokes were
But everyone knew the jokes were really good,
they had never seen the dying laugh so hard
but Jokes at deathbed are a taboo
Not for the one who dies
but for the people alive

In every dying man’s eyes the
alive see their death
They are forced into that uncomfortable zone
to confront their fears between life and death
death is no time for Jokes
the alive hate jokes at deathbed

And then one day it was the guy’s turn
he lay on his deathbed
The whole world gathered around his bed
to hear that one joke
What will it be…?
Who will whisper it to him
will he laugh and will he repeat it
so the world can hear…
People looked at each other and waited

He looked around and smiled
And slowly closed his eyes
No joke was said… no word was uttered
He did not laugh, just smiled in peace
The world waited hoping he had not died
They hoped he would open his eyes
Crack one final joke and
Make the world laugh as he left
No….. it did not happen
Time just moved on from there

Then someone picked up his book of jokes
Looked inside so to carry forward his legacy
All the pages had the same words written
Life is just a joke to laugh at your deathbed
Life is just a joke to laugh at your deathbed
Life is just a joke to laugh at your deathbed