Tuesday, March 17, 2015

A Little Limerick-y Nonsense for St. Patrick's Day

My daughter snapped this cute photo of my grandson with a fun Roald Dahl quote last week in San Diego - the quote is perfect for my St. Patrick's Day post today...

So how about this "Little Nonsense":  90 degree weather in Southern California. In March!  

Today is thankfully a bit cooler, but we really haven't had much of a winter this year. We're relishing the sun, but praying for rain as we enter a fourth year of drought.

Roald Dahl wasn't the only one who appreciated nonsense. Edward Lear was a master at it, especially with limericks - witty poems of five lines that have a specific and distinctive rhythm. 
When I think of limericks, I think of Ireland - maybe because the word sounds so Irish.  I discovered there are both a city and county of Limerick in Ireland, and that is where the limerick poem gets its name from.  But whether the poems actually originated there has long been up for debate.  

How about a limerick for St. Patrick's Day:
In Ireland you won’t find a snake 
In a field, a forest or lake. 
If you’re happy with that 
 Give thanks to St. Pat, 
He did it for everyone’s sake.

Luke Dingman icon 

Here's a silly limerick from Edward Lear:
There once were two cats of Kilkenny. 
Each thought that was one cat too many, 
So they started to fight 
And to scratch and to bite– 
Now, instead of two cats, there aren’t any.

And don't forget Mother Goose:
Hickory dickory dock, 
the mouse ran up the clock; 
the clock struck one 
the mouse ran down; 
hickory dickory dock!

Try writing your own limerick, following these rules...

1- The five lines have a specific pattern: the first, second and fifth lines (the longer lines) rhyme; and the third and fourth (shorter) lines rhyme. (AABBA) 

2 - This five line poetry also follows a syllable count. 
Line 1: 7-10 syllables 
Line 2: 7-10 syllables 
Line 3: 5-7 syllables 
Line 4: 5-7 syllables 
Line 5: 7-10 syllables

Happy St. Patrick's Day! Do you have a favorite limerick?

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