Date:         Tue, 3 Jun 1997 12:34:33 -0500
From: Phanny <corbett@SLUAXA.SLU.EDU>
Subject:      ALL: LIMERICK RULES FOR CONTEST (fwd)

Five lines with this rhyme structure:

        A
        A
        B
        B
        A

Lines 1, 2, and 5 are anapestic trimeter, or have three feet (that is,
three stressed or accented syllables) that rhyme with one another (A).

Lines 3 and 4 are anapestic dimeter, or have two feet (two stressed or
accented syllables) that rhyme with each other (B).  These two lines are
always indented.

Example:        The eminent Mrs. DeVue
                Was born in a cage at the zoo,
                        And the curious rape
                        Which made her an ape
                Is highly fantastic, if true.

                        -- from THE LIMERICK, ed. G. Vue

Here is the limerick with *'s around the accented syllables:

        The *em*inent *Mrs.* De*Vue*
        Was *born* in a *cage* at the *zoo*,
                And the *cur*ious *rape*
                Which *made* her an *ape*
        Is *high*ly fan*tas*tic, if *true*.

                (the third line above has a slight variation)

Or this:

        ta DA ta ta DA ta ta DA
        ta DA ta ta DA ta ta DA
                ta DA ta ta DA
                ta DA ta ta DA
        ta DA ta ta DA ta ta DA

There are some traditions about limericks.  The first line usually
introduces a person, the second line sets up some quality about that
person, the next two lines describe a situation, and the last line is a
punch line.

Another tradition is bawdiness:

        The limerick is furtive and mean;
        You must keep her in close quarantine,
                Or she sneaks to the slums
                And promptly becomes
        Disorderly, drunk and obscene.

                        -- Prof. Morris Bishop

So get cranking on this and have some fun!  Don't forget to wait until the
submission period to send them to me, not to the list.

As previously discussed, slight variations are acceptable, but please
stick as close to the standard as you can.

Phanny