I’m just laughing to keep from crying

I haven’t written a “sonnetina” in a while. A “sonnetina” is my poetic use of the three-form sonata with a sonnet as the development or central part. ‘The basic elements of musical sonata form are three: exposition, development, and recapitulation, in which the musical subject matter is stated, explored or expanded, and restated.’ In my case a sonnet is the development, and a limerick is the coda or recapitulation.

The exposition is from The Fugs song “Life Is Funny.” The Fugs were an American rock band formed in the Lower East Side of NYC in 1964. Their music has been called “protopunk” and avant-rock noise music.

I’m just laughing to keep from crying

Exposition:

“Life is funny, life is free, got all them goodies coming to me,

it’s so funny I could cry, it’s so funny you could die, it’s so funny…”

Development:

Just when you think you will, you won’t

just when you think you’ll do, you don’t

just when you think you can, you can’t

just when you want to rave, you rant

just when you think you’re cool, you’re hot

when you realize you’re a fool and you are

when you get ready to go and then you stop

when you feel unsteady and then you fall

when you think you’re finished, and you begin

when chances are diminished, and you move in

when you finally complete a long assignment

your mental gears then shift out of alignment

are you beginning to get the picture? yes we see

I am you; you are me, we’re all relatively free.

Coda; Recapitulation:

Inside my thick skull hard to crack brain nut

feeling sorry for myself I laugh and bust a gut

trusting circular logic I fall into an unreal rut.

Say what! This is just more ifs ands or buts.

But isn’t that what life is all about? Tut-tut.

Joey aka “Pepe Batbon” Connolly is a retired educator who taught in the CNMI, NOLA, and LVNV. He is the Poet Laureate of Tinian and enjoys stargazing.