My sides are firmly laced about, Yet nothing is within; You'll think my head is strange indeed, Being nothing else but skin.

Why this works

This riddle cleverly describes a drum using a mix of literal and figurative language. The phrase "My sides are firmly laced about" refers to the drum's tight drumheads that are often laced or tensioned around the circular body. The line "Yet nothing is within" indicates that, while a drum has a hollow interior, it doesn't contain anything solid inside. Finally, "You'll think my head is strange indeed, Being nothing else but skin" plays on the fact that many drums, especially traditional ones, have drumheads made of animal skin, making the "head" of the drum a peculiar yet fitting descriptor. Overall, the riddle uses these playful descriptions to lead us to the answer: a drum!