Smiling Upside Down

Silly Poem
Written By Forrest Kidd

Yesterday there were a lot of people coming around
Wondering why I’m leaning upside down
At first they thought I was a joke
Now they understand that my smiler is (gone, done,) broke

It all started around a month ago or two
I smiled at a baby in a crib who threw
A rattle right at my face, I ducked in time
I ignored the kid thinking everything was fine

Oh, how I wished that I had been warned
I auditioned at a comedy club and was scorned
They said if my jokes were going to be light
Then it shouldn’t look like I wanted to fight

I kicked a can into an alley on the way home
It rolled into a man with a bald dome
He tossed a blanket over my shoulder
And compared life to climbing a boulder

I didn’t quite get what he was trying to get at
Until I was drinking soup and given a place mat
I guess there were a bunch of us with broken faces
Because the shelter was full of the stoic in these places

For two days we went from one end of town to the other
At first he said, “I’d like to help you brother”
After I told him, “I had band practice at my house.”
His smile faded, he asked for its whereabouts

His eyes got wide when I pointed across the freeway
He thought I was homeless when he saw me yesterday
We laughed when we realized what was happening
I’m glad he helped me out cause it would have been maddening

As it turns out, when I play my clarinet
My face frowns so hard it looks like I’m upset
For at least a day or so, so I’ve decided to use gravity
To lean upside down against this wall or that cabinetry

I really hope to restore a comedic presentation
Though, I could try comedy with angry dictation
No, if I can’t get a smile I want to at least reach serenity
Or otherwise I’d risk the possibility of mistaken identity

Today I placed a mirror on the opposite wall
It’s official people, my smile is one millimeter tall
I flew off the wall with a leap knocking the tv set
Because now I can start playing my clarinet

Copyright © 2020 by Matt Antis. Originally published in Poet’s Guild’s Poem-A-Day on December 11, 2020, by Ink Jot Kingdom.

Forrest Kidd

Forrest is open about his pen name and wishes to keep his identity secret. We can shorten Forrest Kidd to “For Kids.” As a dad, Forrest writes for his kids whose silliness inspires him.

By day Forrest works a boring office job and by night enjoys reading mysteries, thrillers and science fiction. Lately, he has been reading a lot of children’s books to his kids. He especially enjoys the story-like poems of Shel Silverstein and the metered, humorous children’s stories by Sandra Boynton.

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