This is Episode 113 of Poems for the Speed of Life.

Today's poem is "The Habit of Laughter" by Sara Berkeley.

Sara Berkeley is an Irish poet and writer who has published seven collections of poetry and one collection of fiction. In recent years she has trained to be a nurse and now works in a hospice in upstate New York.

This poem "The Habit of Laughter" is from her 2010 collection The View From Here.

Habits—both forming good ones and breaking bad ones—have become big business in recent years. James Clear’s self-help book Atomic Habits sold more than 10 million copies worldwide and spent more than a year on the NY Times bestsellers list.

Separate to productivity or mindfulness, can laughter be a habit? For Sara Berkeley it is the vital thing, especially in the face of the inevitable despair that will present itself in every life.

You can buy The View From Here from The Gallery Press here.

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For a detailed outline of the mission and purpose behind this podcast, please check out Episode 100, "Why Poems for the Speed of Life?", in your podcast player or ⁠click here to listen on Spotify⁠.

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Music Credit:

Once Upon a Time by Alex-Productions | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://onsound.eu/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  | Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com