Silly

If humor separates us from most of our cousins,
Embraces the moment as potentially absurd,
Lets fly with a gesture or statement
That carries the thought to fantasy, it speaks to possibility.

There is a universal theme,
Found in all human cultures,
At least until the age of eight,
That resists accepted reality.

A picture of a polar bear
And a sled dog hugging,
Punctures the walls of my enclosure,
And lays waste to limitations.

Surely it is the “practical”
That informs our judgment,
Renders “silly” unhealthy
In the hands of anyone past puberty.

Rather “silly” is opening the window
On a cold day, letting an overheated room cool.
It allows for the de-sanctification of ideas,
And the recognition that we take ourselves far too seriously.

Beyond clearing a path for honest dialogue
“Silly” allows for the “what if”.
Essential, should we wish to explore,
With a child’s willingness, to imagine.