MAD KANE’S HUMOR BLOG

A new limerick, haiku, and senryu prompt (at long last) whose theme is jewelry, crafts, and engagements.  First, my limerick:

Engagement Bling
By Madeleine Begun Kane

“I’m engaged,” said the gal to her mom.
“I’m in love and I’m marrying Tom.”
“But I don’t see a ring,”
Said her mom.  “Get some bling.
Until then, I intend to stay calm.”

And now my haiku (senryu):

Craft show earrings
Once adorned the riverfront
And now grace my lobes.

Now, of course, it’s your turn. Your assignment, should you choose to accept it, is to write some verse about jewelry, crafts, or engagements. When you’ve posted your poem(s), please return here and add a direct link to your themed poetry, using Mr. Linky. There’s no rush, by the way, because you have until September 5th to post it.

Technorati Tags: Engagement Ring, Jewelry Humor, Earrings Haiku, Writing Prompts, Haiku Prompts, Crafts Fair, Mom Limerick, Love Humor, Fashion Verse

Yes, I’ve been very bad about posting lately.  Okay … delinquent.  But I promise I’ll get back to my limerick and haiku business very soon.

In the meantime, I have managed a couple of political humor posts on my other blog.  If you stop buy, you’ll find my John McCain song parody and my John Edwards limerick.

Hey, I may be a liberal, but who can resist poking fun at John Edwards these days?

Technorati Tags: John McCain, John Edwards, Edwards Pom, McCain Parody

Back in June I was thrilled to announce that I was a 2008 Robert Benchley Society Award for Humor Competition finalist. (The humor column that got me onto the finalists list is Guide For The Opera Impaired.) 

Well, I’m now beyond thrilled because Bob Newhart, the finalists judge, picked me as the FIRST PRIZE winner.

Mr. Newhart even sent me a handwritten personal note (reproduced below) explaining why he named me for the top Robert Benchley Society humor award.

Right now I’m verging on euphoria —a dangerous condition for a satirist.  But just to be mentioned in the same sentence as Mr. Benchley and Mr. Newhart is almost beyond comprehension.

Here’s Mr. Newhart’s note. (Needless to say, I plan to frame the original.)

Technorati Tags: Robert Benchley Society, Bob Newhart, Humor Awards, Writing Competitions

Please stay tuned for a big announcement, which is coming in the next day or so.  But in the meantime, I’ve been prompted to write about getting older.  So here’s my Gray Matters limerick:

Gray Matters
By Madeleine Begun Kane

Though young when I started to gray,
I refused to say, “Gray, go away!”
In the decades gone by
I have never used dye.
Mess with nature?  My answer is “Nay!”

My best wishes to LA’ers who’ve been through an earthquake today. Fortunately, so far at least, the damage hasn’t been bad.  I still have vivid memories of the really scary 1971 LA earthquake.

Technorati Tags: Gray Hair, Aging Limerick, Getting Older Verse, Hair Dye Humor

Sorry for the delay, but though my cast is finally off, I’m still having wrist problems.

Today’s limerick, haiku, and senryu theme is vacations. First, my limerick, which was inspired by my husband Mark:

Vacation Verse
By Madeleine Begun Kane

My husband is swimming outdoors.
I expect he’ll be back when it pours,
Which it threatens to do
Ev’ry day, so he’s blue.
Yes, vacations are rain guarantors.

And now my haiku (senryu):

I’m on vacation,
Yet here I am writing verse.
Give it a rest, brain.

Now, of course, it’s your turn. Your assignment, should you choose to accept it, is to write some verse about vacations. When you’ve posted your poem(s), please return here and add a direct link to your themed poetry, using Mr. Linky. There’s no rush, by the way, because you have until August 1st to post it.

UPDATE: Mr. Linky is now closed, but you can still add links to your vacation-related verse in the Comments. And if you’d like to participate in a new poetry prompt, you can always find my latest one here.

Technorati Tags: Vacation Verse, Swimming Humor, Weather Poem, Writing Prompts, Rain Limerick, Writing Haiku

I’ve written a couple of posts & poems on my political humor blog that readers of this blog might find interesting.

The first is about New Yorker Magazine’s Barack Obama cover controversy.  My poem about the challenges of creating satire begins:

A Humorist’s Lament
Madeleine Begun Kane

A humorist like me sure knows
How tough it is to write, compose,
And sketch satiric toons and prose
And poems.  It’s not without its woes.

For instance, Barry Blitt’s lampoon,
New Yorker’s well-intentioned toon, …

The other is about a federal judge who lambasted plaintiff’s lawyer via judicial limerick.

Technorati Tags: Writing Satire, Judicial Limerick, New Yorker, Barry Blitt, Barack Obama

Bugged
By Madeleine Begun Kane

Mosquitos are on the attack.
They have bitten my arms and my back.
You may call ‘em God’s creatures —
These venomous  leechers — 
I’m tired of being their snack.

(I’ve been bugged by mosquitos before.)

(Inspired by Manic Monday’s “bug.”)

Technorati Tags: Mosquito Humor, Bug Limerick, Insect Bites

Today’s limerick, haiku, and senryu theme is blogging. First, my limerick, which was inspired by The Ominous Comma’s request for humorous advice for new bloggers:

Dear Newbie
By Madeleine Begun Kane

Dear Newbie, I feel for your plight —
You are anxious for links to your site.
But please do not send
Link requests, when you’ve penned
A mere pittance of blog posts, all right?

And now my haiku (senryu):

My blog bullies me,
Demanding ideas, words, wit.
This will have to do.

Now, of course, it’s your turn. Your assignment, should you choose to accept it, is to write some verse about blogging. When you’ve posted your poem(s), please return here and add a direct link to your themed poetry, using Mr. Linky. There’s no rush, by the way, because you have until July 18th to post it.

Limerick and Haiku Prompts Participants

UPDATE: Mr. Linky is now closed, but you can still add links to your blogging-related verse in the Comments. And if you’d like to participate in a new poetry prompt, you can always find my latest one here.

Technorati Tags: Newbie Bloggers, Blogging Advice, Link Humor, Blogging Verse, Writing Prompts, Advice Limerick

My Confession (Limerick)
By Madeleine Begun Kane

I’m married, but still like to date.
It’s good for my marriage — no, great!
Now don’t be perturbed
Or concerned or disturbed.
The fellow I date is my mate.

(You can find more of my marriage humor and verse here.)

(Prompted by Hump Day Humor)

Technorati Tags: Marriage Verse, Dating Poem, Funny Confessions

Loose Change Exchange
By Madeleine Begun Kane

“Oh, please do you have some loose change?”
Said a beggar all covered with mange.
“Yes I do,” said a guy,
As he passed him right by,
Cuz literal people are strange.

(Prompted by “loose change)

(You can find more of my money humor and verse here.)

Technorati Tags: Loose Change, Money Verse, Literal Humor

Prompted to pay special attention to tempo and pacing, I’ve written a tanka made up entirely of Italian musical tempo terms. (At long last my Cal Arts BFA in Music Performance pays off.)

Tempo, Tempo
By Madeleine Begun Kane

Largo, andante,
Allegro ma non troppo,
Accelerando,
Vivace, rallentando,
Allargando al fine.

(You can find more of my musical verse and humor here.)

Technorati Tags: Musical Verse, Music Tanka, Italian Music Terms, Tempo Markings

Cool news! I’m a 2008 Robert Benchley Society Award for Humor Competition finalist. (The humor column that got me onto the finalists list is Guide For The Opera Impaired.)

“We had a delightful time selecting our top ten finalists this year,” said Robert Benchley Society chairperson David Trumbull. “It is a true honor to turn the job of selecting the top four essays over to Bob Newhart.”

“All of the entries are read blind.  No one knows who wrote which essay until the judging is finished.  This keeps the competition entirely merit based,” said Horace J. Digby, a past Benchley Society Award winner…

Newhart’s selection and ranking of the top four winners for this year’s Robert Benchley Society Awards will be announced the week of July 6th. 
 
The Robert Benchley Society Award for Humor is an international writing competition dedicated to the warm, self-effacing comic writing style that made Benchley so beloved during his lifetime.  …

I thought I’d celebrate with a limerick:

I can barely maintain my sobriety
Cuz the great Robert Benchley Society
Held a contest and wow,
I’m a finalist now.
Will I win the top prize? High anxiety!

Technorati Tags: Robert Benchley Society, Award for Humor, David Trumbull, Horace J. Digby, Bob Newhart

Sorry for the delay (one wrist is broken and I’m having a bad carpal tunnel attack in the other). Today’s limerick, haiku, and senryu theme is food and drink. First, my limerick:

There once was a fellow named Dwight
Who fought over gin bills each night.
He was covered with scars
From his battles in bars.
His lesson? Don’t fight while you’re tight.

And now my haiku (senryu):

Brandy with choc’late,
French champagne with peach ice cream,
Water with asp’rin.

Now, of course, it’s your turn. Your assignment, should you choose to accept it, is to write some verse about food and drink. When you’ve posted your poem(s), please return here and add a direct link to your themed poetry, using Mr. Linky. There’s no rush, by the way, because you have ten days to post it.

Limerick and Haiku Prompts Participants   

UPDATE: Mr. Linky is now closed, but you can still add links to your food and drink verse in the Comments. And if you’d like to participate in a new poetry prompt, you can always find my latest one here.

Technorati Tags: Bar Fight Humor, Writing Prompts, Food Poem, Drink Verse

Irreparable Poem
By Madeleine Begun Kane

I’m writing some verse about mending.
My deadline is soon and unbending.
But alas I can’t fix it
And may have to nix it.
My problem? Can’t think of an ending.

(You can find more endings here.)

Technorati Tags: Poetry Writing, Editing Humor, Publishing Deadline Verse

This poem started out as a senryu. But 17-syllables weren’t enough to say what I needed to say.  So I added two 7-syllable lines, turning it into my first tanka:

Letter opener
Nearly cast aside as trash
Now my salvation,
Soothing, becalming the itch
That haunts my encasted arm.

Technorati Tags: Health Tanka, Arm Cast, Broken Wrist

Grandma’s key-drawer,
Filled with reminders of a
Life I never knew.

(More old keys here)

Technorati Tags: Grandmother Verse, Old Keys Haiku

Today’s limerick, haiku, and senryu theme is furniture and furnishings. First, my limerick:

Quick Story
By Madeleine Begun Kane

“Quick story,” my husband declares.
“It’s short — I’m not kidding,” he swears.
But I know that he’s wrong.
He’ll be witty, but long.
How I wish I could find us some chairs.

And now two haiku (senryu):

Dad climbs into bed.
His poodle growls in protest.
Their turf war begins.

Sixty-year-old chair,
still covered in plastic,
protected from life.

Now, of course, it’s your turn. Your assignment, should you choose to accept it, is to write some verse about furniture and furnishings. When you’ve posted your poem(s), please return here and add a direct link to your themed poetry, using Mr. Linky. There’s no rush, by the way, because you have a whole week to post it.

(Note: My poems were inspired by these three prompts: “being told a story,” “pets,” and “father / find.”)

Limerick and Haiku Prompts Participants

UPDATE: Mr. Linky is now closed, but you can still add links to your furniture and furnishings verse in the Comments. And if you’d like to participate in a new poetry prompt, you can always find my latest one here.

Technorati Tags: Furniture Verse, Furnishings Humor, Husband Humor, Short Story, Poodle Haiku, Writing Prompts

Sorry for my late posting. As I mentioned in my last post, I recently broke my wrist.

Today’s limerick, haiku, and senryu theme is sleep and insomnia. First, my limerick:

Sleepless In Bayside
By Madeleine Begun Kane

My husband can catnap at will,
And my jealous reaction is shrill.
My insomnia’s bad —
Just can’t help getting mad,
Cuz his snores can be heard in Brazil.

And now my haiku or senryu:

I watch my husband
Sleep hour after hour.
What is his secret?

Now, of course, it’s your turn. Your assignment, should you choose to accept it, is to write some verse about sleep and insomnia. When you’ve posted your poem(s), please return here and add a direct link to your themed poetry, using Mr. Linky. There’s no rush, by the way, because you have a whole week to post it.

(Note: My poems were inspired by these three prompts: “catnap, “my nights” and “when I watch you.”)

Limerick and Haiku Prompts Participants  

UPDATE: Mr. Linky is now closed, but you can still add links to your sleep and insomnia verse in the Comments. And if you’d like to participate in a new poetry prompt, you can always find my latest one here.

Technorati Tags: Sleep Poetry, Insomnia Verse, Husband Humor, Writing Prompts

This space has been quiet of late.
But it’s not that my readers don’t rate.
I’ve broken my wrist,
And my brain’s in a twist
From pain killers. Writing must wait.

Technorati Tags: Pain Killers, Broken Wrist, Brain Humor, Health Limerick, Injury Verse. Accident Poem

Today’s limerick and haiku theme is dates and dating. First, my limerick:

The gal was enjoying her date
Till her escort became quite irate.
He assaulted a waiter,
Then said, “See ya later.”
I suppose it was something he ate.

And now my dating-related haiku:

His seeing eye dog
Led the man to her table:
A double blind date.

Now, of course, it’s your turn. Your assignment, should you choose to accept it, is to write a limerick or haiku (or both) about dates and dating. When you’ve posted your verse, please return here and add a direct link to your themed poetry, using Mr. Linky. There’s no rush, by the way, because you have two weeks to post it.

(Note: My limerick was inspired in part by Sunday Scribblings’ “quitting” prompt.)

Limerick and Haiku Prompts Participants  

UPDATE: Mr. Linky is now closed, but you can still add links to your dating verse in the Comments. And if you’d like to participate in a new poetry prompt, you can always find my latest one here.

Technorati Tags: Dating Limerick, Date Haiku, Dining Humor, Food Humor, Waiter Verse, Writing Prompts.