It has been said, “Laugh, and the entire world will laugh with you, cry and you cry alone.” Personally, I prefer to laugh over the other alternative—it’s much better company! Poetry and humor have gone hand in hand for a very, very long time. Even William Shakespeare was aware of this, as one of his earliest works, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” is a comedy that blends both poetry and humor and still gets a good laugh four centuries later. Lewis Carroll’s “Alice in Wonderland” and “Through the Looking Glass” is another good classic example. It was not until I actually read the books to my daughter when she was young that I could appreciate the poetic humor in his works. When you think of Gilbert and Sullivan, or my personal favorite, Tom Lehrer, it is clear that poetry is well designed to put a smile on your face.
What makes poetry blend so well with humor? One reason may be because poetry is catchy, and that makes it easier to remember. I don’t care how lousy my day is going, if I can remember the lyrics to Tom Lehrer’s “Poisoning Pigeons in the Park” then my day becomes a bit better and the hard things a bit easier to bear (I’m not sure that the pigeons appreciate this, however!)
Another reason may be that it lends itself well to satire. “Yertle the Turtle” by Dr. Seuss, for example, was actually poking fun at Adolph Hitler. And this works because often the people who are being satirized have absolutely no sense of humor whatsoever. This makes them very easy targets. Not only is this the best medicine, but it can also be the best revenge. Actor John Lithgow seems to have grasped this all too well!
Lastly, poems do tend to lend themselves to atrocious puns, which I personally feel are the highest form of humor. And whether it is with a laugh or a groan, if the eventual reaction leads to putting a smile on your face, then the poet has done their job well!
As long as it’s all in good fun, there’s nothing wrong with making a joke, finding a pun or having a humorous line in your poetry. And not only will it make your work more memorable, I think you will find that it can also be a lot of fun to write!
Here are a few humorous poetry suggestions from SJPL staff:
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