When did you stop laughing

When did you stop laughing

When did life get serious

Barely a smile ever breaks

Through the downturn

When did it become de rigueur

To frown

In the workplace

Wear a game face

For fear of being thought

As too lightweight

To make the grade

Sidelined by space invaders

Ready to crush the world

Beneath their feet

To reach number one

When there is always

Another mountain

To climb

A little higher

Than the one before

What is the point

Of compliance

To career choice science

When life steals

All the fun

Divorced policeman

Swallow a gun

Disgraced politician

Is an overused pun

Too many people

Drown their sorrows in drink

Throw up in the kitchen sink

Live out their lives

All alone

Play with apps on the phone

Rather than talk

To somebody new

They make wooden ships

With balsa wood

And glue

Knit woollen scarves

For the homeless

Whilst feeling worthless

Drink beer from cans

Held in idle hands

While sitting shirtless

On old sofas

Talk to themselves

In the loo

Forget what they are

Supposed to do

Or when they last laughed

Without feeling guilty

For being alive

When so many people

Do not survive

For any good reason

As there are

No good reasons

To believe life is fair

Do those who win

Ever dare

To wonder

What it is like to

Throw back their heads

And just laugh

Sink into a hot soapy bath

And just chill

Make love in the sea

And remember

The thrill

Of how good it was

To be

Young, idealistic and free