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From: jans@mako.UUCP (Jan Steinman)
Newsgroups: net.wanted
Subject: Re: Limericks Wanted by Lady in Palo Alt
Message-ID: <539@mako.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 25-Jan-85 12:46:32 EST
Article-I.D.: mako.539
Posted: Fri Jan 25 12:46:32 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 28-Jan-85 07:48:02 EST
References: <218@wdl1.UUCP>
Reply-To: jans@mako.UUCP (Jan Steinman)
Organization: Tektronix, Wilsonville OR
Lines: 28
Summary: 

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 ::::::