Poem: Laugh, Christine!

When I was in my early twenties and somewhat vain, I worked at a pizza place. People showed some interest in my poetry and asked how I came up with my ideas. I explained that they came from a lot of different directions. I showed them one poem and told them that a guy walked into the store with such a strutting stride that it made me think of a giant. That led me to write a poem about a giant. Then, I boasted that I could write a poem on the spot about any subject. A waitress named Christine accepted my challenge and told me to write a poem about her. This led me to write the following poem, which did indeed elicit a laugh from Christine.

Laugh, Christine!
1970
by M Ray Holloway, Jr.

Laugh, Christine!
The people are watching you,
And like me, they can't figure out if what you do
Is part of the show,
Or if you really do know
Something we all seek.
You play hide and peek
With seriousness and sobriety:
Now we can see;
And now we cannot.
You're like a confusing knot
In my shoestring,
But I still say, do your thing,
And laugh, Christine:
The people are watching you.