[net.wanted] Limericks Wanted by Lady in Palo Alt

sharon@wdl1.UUCP (01/24/85)

Limericks Wanted by Lady in Palo Alto, Calif.

1/23/85

I am collecting limericks to use as toasts.  If you have
any to share, please post them as responses to this
query.  The only three that I know follow.  (P.S.
You may have already received this request.  Our system
wasn't sending requests out properly several weeks
ago when I posted my original query..Thank you.)

THE FOUR HINGES OF FRIENSHIP

Friendship hinges around these four attributes:

LYING, STEALING, SWEARING, AND DRINKING

Use them as follows:

When you lie, you lie for a pretty women
When you steal, you steal away from bad company
When you swear, swear by your country
But when you drink, you drink with friends.


ANOTHER LIMERICK

Here's to you as good as you are
Here's to me as bad as I am
But as good as you are and as bad as I am
I'm as good as you are as bad as I am

AN OLDIE, BUT A GOODIE

Here's to you and here's to me
And may we never disagree
But if we do, then to heck with you
And here's to me.

jans@mako.UUCP (Jan Steinman) (01/25/85)

In article <218@wdl1.UUCP> sharon@wdl1.UUCP writes:
> I am collecting limericks to use as toasts... The only three that I know
> follow.

But none of the examples were limericks!  The term "limerick" describes a
meter, or pattern of stress (Is it trochaic?  It's been a long time since
I studied poetry.) characterized by a single stressed sylable followed by two
unstressed sylables.  The entire limerick consists of five lines -- the first,
second and last lines have three of these patterns, the third and fourth have
one or two.  It's easier to demonstrate than describe:

	There once was a lady from Wight,
	Who's speed was much faster than light,
	She set out one day,
	(In a relative way)
	And returned on the preceding night.

Limerick meter is often bastardized to emphasize the typically humorous
content, but the lilting, galloping rythm is always there:

	There once was a poet named Jan,
	Who's lines nobody could scan,
	They asked him why,
	He said, "Because I
	Like to put as many words in the last line as I possibly can!"
-- 
:::::: Jan Steinman		Box 1000, MS 61-161	(w)503/685-2843 ::::::
:::::: tektronix!tekecs!jans	Wilsonville, OR 97070	(h)503/657-7703 ::::::