Junior Limerick Section for young 'uns & Learners!

[Domino]

Well, how do you say it, Daisy?

And a Great Auk? - he had not a whiff!

If you say it any other way you lose the ta-ta-TUM rhythm surely?

Sorry, I hate coming over as pedantic. But, as Tony says, there are many posters on the adult thread who just haven't a clue about the rhythm. I think it spoils the fun of the limerick if it doesn't scan properly. I realise it's all been said before. Should it not be said again? The limerick does lend itself to variation, but it is important to be consistent within the limerick.
Just imagine trying to teach people to write sonnets or rondeaus!

Dave

[Daisy]

Probably, as you have illustrated it Dave. It takes us all our time to impress upon would-be limerickers (!) that the number of syllables matters!
We've had some very good and funny ones in the past as well as some which made me wince!
Carry on everyone - if you want to do this properly have a go and you'll get it eventually.

[Domino]

Just to give this thread the kiss of life:

There once was an author named Byton,

[Moonraker]

Poppy, the rhythm of your line is: TUM-ta TUM-ta ta-TUM ta-ta-TUM so you have a a shifting rhythm which will make it quite difficult for those following you,
but if you change it to...

Is it? If there is this many rules to think about, I don't think its worth me posting here on this thread...

I couldn't see anything wrong in your line, Poppy. If only every other topic was so perfect...

[Domino]

I couldn't agree with you more!

There was a young man from Hackney,
Who said, "If only we had an Empire!
I'd go on the stage,
And play the part of an unscrupulous moneylender,
Whistling 'Moonlight Sonata' in a key that fits the most complicated lock."

Now we've ditched all these rules about rhythm and rhyme. It makes it much easier.

[Daisy]

I suppose you know this one Dave:

There was a young man from Japan
Who wrote poetry that never would scan
When asked "Why do you do it
For sure you will rue it?"
He said "It's because I want to get as many words in the last line as I possibly can!"

[Moonraker]

Sarcasm might be the lowest form of wit, but it's still funny! Incidentally, there is a difference between ditching all the rules and not being too nit-picky!

[Domino]

Nigel - I certainly wouldn't disagree with that.

Daisy - Yes, I have heard that one before and also the clerihew that goes:

Edmund Clerihew Bentley,
Albeit accident'ly,
Wrote verse that quite often didn't seem to scan
And became a famous man.

You have also made me think of the one line limerick:

There was a young man from Hiroshima.

Dare I say, It's burnt on my memory?

Dave

[Daisy]

You have also made me think of the one line limerick:

There was a young man from Hiroshima.

Dare I say, It's burnt on my memory?

Dave

Ouch - that's very telling.

[Moonraker]

Isn't it! There must be more like that...

[Domino]

Indeed there are. I think the earliest one (written c. 1918) was:

There was a young man in Verdun.

But today's generation would probably be puzzled.

Dave

[Moonraker]

Indeed.

I rather like this one:

A mosquito was heard to complain
That a chemist had poisoned his brain
The cause of his sorrow
Was 4-4 dichloro-
diphenyltrichloroethane

[Daisy]

That's a good one Nigel.

[Eddie Muir]

Excellent, Nigel!