I Wrote This Limerick “Just Because”

When I was a child, I hated the words “just because,” a favorite parental “explanation.” And yet there’s a “Just Because Day,” celebrated on August 27th by people who look at those words rather differently.

I Wrote This Limerick “Just Because”
By Madeleine Begun Kane

The parental retort,”Just because,”
Is a stale and inadequate clause.
Moms might just as well say
“It’s the law, so obey!”
Or, hemmed in, just try hemming and haws.

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10 Responses to “I Wrote This Limerick “Just Because””

  1. brian miller says:

    just because is the old failsafe
    unwilling to acknowledge the own selfish
    need for obedience…or cause i say so.

  2. Alex Dissing says:

    I hated that phrase when I was a kid!

  3. Nara says:

    My favorite failsafe was “We’ll see.” It always amazed me how quickly they accepted that answer. Surely they noticed the day we would see had never arrived for any of the other four thousand things on which they waited for answers. I guess the possibility of yes was better than the certainty of no.

  4. Oh how well I remember hating that phrase..so much so I tried never to use it with my children..enjoyed the limerick

  5. Ah but Grandparents, they can say “Ask your parents!”

  6. Jeep Walters says:

    “Who’s the boss here?” was always Dad’s reply to my rebellion. A great poke at “Just Because” day! Love this, Madeleine!

  7. Hannah says:

    very unique I thought:)

  8. Rambly says:

    and we never really questioned why because? Nice limerick Madeliene.

  9. grapeling says:

    just because YOU don’t
    don’t mean I won’t
    inflict on another
    my need to smother
    – better you than me take the brunt –

  10. madkane says:

    Thanks so much everyone for your delightful comments!