Jokes Have Edges. Poem by Rm. Shanmugam Chettiar

Quips are there, sexist, castist or racist.
Cartoons are there on popular figures.
Mimicry is there of well known leaders.
Satire is there, political, formal and personal.

Jesters are patronized in the court of king.
Jokers are welcome in a gathering.
Comedians are in the play for a laugh.
Fools speak authors' voice in their works.

Jokes are born of the grain of sadism.
Freedom of expression is of no use
If there is no sanction of right to offend.
Jokes were mild that humiliated none.

Satire has a reformist agenda.
It can hold up a mirror to the flaws.
Satire is a teaching to the teacher.
There was no suit against any jokers.

Taking jokes in a lighter vein is gone.
Jokes give glee to jokers and listeners
And anger to the one who's referred to.
So make fun of a mouse or a mongoose.
04.06.2016