A Baby’s Laughter

A free-verse poem about the sound of a baby's laughter.

Most adults find a baby’s laughter
to be adorably delightful.

Upon reflection, a baby’s laugh
is remarkable because it is free,
devoid of the constraints adults
place upon their own laughter.

Adults let learned concerns taint
their ability to laugh: Will my laughing
draw unwanted attention to myself?
Will my laughing make me appear foolish?
Do I have an unusual-sounding laugh?
Will I offend the person whose actions
have elicited my laughter?
Do I laugh too loudly?
Is my laughter inappropriate?

A baby’s laughter is pure; it is a natural,
instinctive response to some stimulus
that surprises or pleases the baby.
A baby’s laugh is genuine, unforced, loud,
and free; it is simple, unadulterated joy
spontaneously unleashed.

Introspective adults hear in the laughter
of a baby something they have forever lost.



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