Subscribe: by Email | in Reader

The Limerick Packs Laughs Anatomical -- Anonymous

       
(Poem #909) The Limerick Packs Laughs Anatomical
 The limerick packs laughs anatomical
 Into space that is quite economical.
 But the good ones I've seen
 So seldom are clean -
 And the clean ones so seldom are comical.
-- Anonymous
The poem says it all <g>.

More seriously, while there are several excellent clean limericks, the vast
majority do tend to be - well, as Don Marquis put it, there are three
distinct types: "Limericks to be told when ladies are present; limericks to
be told when ladies are absent but clergymen are present--and LIMERICKS".

As I said in a previous commentary, the limerick is a nicely balanced
combination of a clever and entertaining structure and a fairly low entry
barrier; this has been responsible for a flood of limericks that is,
conceivably, greater in volume than the sum total of all other amateur
verse. And, while the form was popularised by the decidedly clean (but so
seldom comical[1]) limericks of Lear, somewhere along the line it became
inextricably intertwined with the bawdy.

[1] please don't flame me :)

An intriguing thing about limericks is that, while few of them are
attributed, they nonetheless have a surprising spreading power and lifetime.
There is a large body of famous limericks, many of them in several minor
variations, that seem to have entrenched themselves in the collective canon
without much benefit of formal publication or compilation. The humour
definitely helps here, as does the simple, and easily memorised verse form -
good limericks can and do get spread very rapidly by word of mouth (and
now, of course, the internet).

One drawback (if you can call it that) of the form is that it is almost
irretrievably frivolous. It's nigh impossible to write a serious poem in
limerick form (though I have seen some scattered examples), and most people
don't even bother trying. Also, the limerick is a very self-contained form;
while I've seen several poems with each verse consisting of a limerick, I
feel that the technique doesn't really work, because of the irresistible
feeling of closure when the reader reaches the fifth line.

Links:

  http://www.cc.emory.edu/ENGLISH/classes/Handbook/limerick.html is an
  excellent essay on limericks

  http://www.interviews-with-poets.com/poetry-directory/limerick.html has a
  nice collection of links

  We've run a couple of limericks on Minstrels:
    Poem #378: "There Was an Old Man with a Beard", Edward Lear
    Poem #801: "A Mosquito Was Heard to Complain", Dr. D. D. Perrin

-martin

15 comments: ( or Leave a comment )

H.Paul Lillebo said...

For my treatment of some of the better limericks (with acknowledgement
to Norman Douglas), you might enjoy:
[broken link] http://newtrix.com/poems/limerick.htm
Cheers,
Paul

Anonymous said...

Authentic Ed Hardy Clothes
from the Cool Ade accumulating featuring the Aitana Tote backpack in black. The ED Hardy Shoes
Love Life Fringe Hobo Bag is one of a lot of accepted bags. I wish to acquaint some types of hardy shirt
here. Authentic hardy shirt
by Christian Audigier featuring the Beatrice N/S Tote backpack in putty.

Anonymous said...

One drawback (if you can call it that) of the form is that it is almost
irretrievably frivolous. It's nigh impossible to write a serious poem in
limerick form (though I have seen some scattered examples), and most people
don't even bother trying.

I disagree. "Serious" is not alll that difficult. Example:

Obamacare's been rammed down your gut
Unless of course, you're a socialist nut).
Put your gem in your pocket,
'Cause you may have to hock it
To pay for your healthcare when it's cut.

BP said...

Enjoyed the blog. I'm wondering though if it's valid to compare Lear's work with the risqué limerick. Edward Lear brims with era-exuding charm. It's like comparing 'The Cucumber and Chandelier Monthly' cartoon with Laurel & Hardy, perhaps!?

Anonymous said...

Someone might enjoy a few on THIS page.

http://www.rhymestorming.webs.com/

Anonymous said...

nice
cara menghilangkan kutil di kemaluan pria
obat tradisional untuk kutil kelamin luar
obat kutil kelamin luar tradisional
obat tradisional kutil kelamin luar
obat kutil kelamin luar alami
cara menghilangkan kutil di kelamin wanita
obat kutil kelamin wanita ampuh
pengobatan alami kutil kelamin wanita
pengobatan tradisional kutil kelamin wanita
obat kutil kelamin wanita yang ampuh
cara menghilangkan kutil kelamin secara alami
obat luka kutil kelamin
obat herbal kutil kelamin luar
obat untuk kutil kelamin luar
obat tradisional kutil kelamin luar
cara mengobati kutil di kemaluan
obat herbal kutil kelamin luar
obat herbal untuk kutil kelamin luar
pengobatan tradisional kutil kelamin luar
obat herbal untuk kutil kelamin luar
obat kutil kelamin di apotik
obat kutil kelamin di apotik
obat alami kutil kelamin di apotik
obat ampuh di apotik
obat mujarab di apotik
penyembuhan kutil kelamin
obat kutil kelamin paling manjur
obat kutil kelamin yang paling manjur
obat kutil kelamin tradisional yg mujarab
obat kutil kelamin herbal mujarab
Obat Kutil di Sekitar Kemaluan
obat penghilang sakit kutil kelamin
obat penghilang sakit kutil kelamin
obat penghilang nyeri pada kutil kelamin
obat pereda sakit kutil kelamin
obat untuk menghilangkan kutil di kemaluan
apa nama obat kutil kelamin
daftar nama obat kutil kelamin
nama obat kutil kelamin dari dokter
nama obat kutil kelamin yang aman untuk ibu hamil
obat kutil di alat kelamin
nama obat kutil kelamin
nama obat kutil kelamin di apotek
nama obat kutil kelamin paling ampuh
nama obat kutil kelamin di apotik

Program Studi Ilmu Administrasi Negara said...

Nice, i read this article blog's is greate and nice blog, wellcome to this admin blog's cipto junaedy

Post a Comment