RONDO CAPRICCIOSO.  (II)

When comments deride
I pocket my pride
And unbridled anger suppress;
But find that the stress
Of such graciousness
Gets progressively harder to hide.

I strive to maintain
A dignified vein
By constraining, for all I’m worth,
The tremulous girth
Of tempestuous mirth;
From unearthly guffawing abstain.

I manage, somehow,
By raising my brow
And allowing the tiniest trace
Of laughter to grace
The sterness of face
I’ve carried completely ‘till now.

I usually am
As calm as a lamb
And inflammable moments are rare;
Becoming aware
Of impulsion to swear
I invariabley express it as ****.