Archive for the ‘Wordplay’ Category
Monday, October 4th, 2021
Though I’m no fan of golf, I couldn’t resist writing a Golf Lovers Day limerick:
As a golfer swigged beer in a pub,
He bitched and he gobbled his grub:
“I’ve been flubbing my putts.
Being drubbed drives me nuts!”
The response to that putz? “Join the club!”
Tags: Golf Humor, Golf Limerick, Golf Lovers Day, Idiom Humor, Idiom Limerick, Language Humor, Language Limerick, October Holidays, Odd Holidays, Outdoors Humor, Sports Humor, Wordplay
Posted in Idiom Humor, Language Humor, Limericks, Odd Holidays, Outdoors Humor, Sports Humor, Wordplay | Comments Off on Happy Golf Lovers Day! (October 4) (Limerick)
Thursday, September 30th, 2021
When someone mentioned the word “dither” in a word-related Facebook group I belong to, I couldn’t resist the challenge of using it in a limerick:
Indecision is dicey. Don’t dither,
Or you’ll wither while plucking that zither.
Don’t quiver and quaver!
Be brave! Never waver,
Or risk running hither and thither.
Tags: Decisiveness, Indecision Humor, Indecisiveness Limerick, Language Humor, Language Limerick, Wordplay, Wordplay Humor, Wordplay Limerick
Posted in Language Humor, Limericks, Wordplay | Comments Off on Dither And Yawn? (Limerick)
Saturday, September 25th, 2021
“It’s easy to hoodwink that stinker,”
Said a man of his wife, a big drinker.
“When coition’s my mission,
She thinks I’m out fishin’…
And falls for it hook, line, and sinker.”
Tags: Battle of Sexes, Bawdy Humor, Bawdy Limerick, Dishonesty, Fish Humor, Fish Limerick, Fishing Humor, Fishing Limerick, Idiom Humor, Idiom Limerick, Language Humor, Language Limerick, Marriage Humor, Marriage Limerick, Wordplay Humor
Posted in Battle of the Sexes, Bawdy Limericks, Behavior & Personality, Family & Relatives Humor, Idiom Humor, Language Humor, Marriage Humor, Wordplay | Comments Off on Fishing For An Alibi (Limerick)
Friday, September 10th, 2021
NOTE: While the last line of this limerick is true, it’s NOT a plea for sympathy. My real purpose in writing it was to play with the idiom “fall flat.”
My wisecrack failed right off the bat.
Not one “like!” Not one “LOL!” That was that!
’Twas a musical jest,
But I guess, not my best.
I feel low when my humor falls flat.
Tags: Facebook Humor, Facebook Limerick, Idiom Humor, Idiom Limerick, Language Humor, Language Limerick, Music Humor & Verse, Music Limerick, Social Media Humor, Social Media Limerick
Posted in Facebook Humor, Idiom Humor, Jokes & One-Liners, Language Humor, Music Humor & Verse, Music Poems, Social Media Humor, Wordplay | Comments Off on Humor Disharmony (Limerick)
Wednesday, September 8th, 2021
“I’ve proven you’re wrong! Now eat crow,”
Said a know-it-all fellow, named Joe,
Who could not help but howl
At the answer re fowl:
“I’m allergic to poultry, so NO!”
Tags: Allergy Humor, Allergy Limerick, Animal and Pet Humor, Argument Humor, Argument Limerick, Bird Humor, Bird Limerick, Crows, Eating Crow, Fowl Humor, Idiom Humor, Idiom Limerick, Know-It-Alls, Language Humor, Language Limerick, Poultry Humor, Wordplay, Wordplay Humor
Posted in Allergy Humor, Animal & Pet Humor, Idiom Humor, Language Humor, Limericks, Wordplay | Comments Off on Know-It-All Limerick
Monday, November 23rd, 2020
“Two” is larger than one; less than three.
“Too” replaces your “also” with glee.
“Too” means “overly” too.
It’s too much? I’m not through!
Go to “to” to be done … and you’re free.
Tags: Homonym Limericks, Homonym Poems, Homophone Limericks, Homophone Poems, Homophones, Language Humor, Wordplay
Posted in Homonyms & Homophones, Language Humor, Limericks, Wordplay | 3 Comments »
Monday, May 13th, 2019
JOMO is Dictionary.com’s Word of the Day, which prompted this acronym rant:
I’m annoyed by the acronym FOMO,
As well as its opposite, JOMO.
“Missing out” is MO’s meaning.
FO’s “fear.” Are you gleaning
That JO connotes “joy?” Kindly, NOMO!
(NOMO means “no more.”)
Tags: Acronym Humor, Acronym Limerick, Acronyms, FOMO, JOMO, Language Humor, NOMO, Word of the Day, WOTD
Posted in Language Humor, Limericks, Wordplay | Comments Off on Irked By Acronyms (Limerick)
Thursday, September 14th, 2017
Dictionary.com’s Word of the Day is mickle. Hence this limerick:
My memory’s terribly fickle;
Can’t recall what words mean. That’s a pickle!
And a big one, at that,
When you wear a scribe’s hat.
what the hell is the meaning of mickle?
Tags: Word of the Day, WOTD
Posted in Limericks, Word of the Day, Wordplay | 1 Comment »
Saturday, September 5th, 2015
Fun With Language (2-Verse Limerick)
By Madeleine Begun Kane
Is there any original pun?
Is there wordplay that’s never been done?
With our language so strange
There’s unlimited range
To be playful, inventive, have fun.
We are homophone/homonym rich.
(Though ad hominem hits make me twitch.)
And later or sooner
The likes of Rev Spooner
Bewitch with the swull of a pitch.
Tags: Homonym Poems, Puns, Spoonerisms, Wordplay, Wordplay Humor
Posted in Language Humor, Limericks, Wordplay | Comments Off on Fun With Language (2-Verse Limerick)
Wednesday, April 15th, 2015
Limerick Rut
By Madeleine Begun Kane
A fellow was stuck in a rut.
It depressed him down deep in his gut.
So he vowed to reform
And conform to the norm–
He would curb all his groovin’ on smut.
Tags: Bawdy Humor, Behavior Humor, Pornography Humor, Sex Humor, Smut Humor, Wordplay
Posted in Bawdy Limericks, Behavior & Personality, Limericks, Porn Humor, Wordplay | Comments Off on Limerick Rut
Thursday, November 14th, 2013
When I’m looking for limerick ideas, I sometimes visit idiom list sites, like this one. Then I’ll select an idiom that might work meter-wise and that ends with a common rhyme sound.
And so today, I challenged myself to write a limerick that contains the phrase “dry run.” Unconsciously inspired, perhaps, by the inept roll-out of Obamacare, I wrote these two lines:
A software firm held a dry run
But the coding, alas, wasn’t done…
I swiftly thought up an acceptable “B-rhyme,” but then got stuck at line 5. The best I could come up with was an ending that employed yet another idiom: “under the gun.” But I still couldn’t think of a line 5 that was even slightly clever.
And then I got an idea: create some wordplay by revising another line, adding specificity to the subject matter. Here’s the result:
Limerick Dry Run
By Madeleine Begun Kane
A software firm held a dry run,
But the arms-tracking code wasn’t done.
It failed test after test,
Till the owner confessed:
“I’m too stressed to work under the gun.”
Tags: Anatomy Of A Limerick, Anxiety Humor, Computer Humor, Computer Software, Idioms Humor, Stress Humor, Technology Humor, Under The Gun, Wordplay Humor, Writing & Publishing Humor
Posted in Anxiety & Stress, Computer Humor, Idiom Humor, Limericks, Technology Humor, Wordplay, Writing & Publishing Humor | 6 Comments »
Saturday, March 26th, 2011
Salute To Satire
By Madeleine Begun Kane
Funny,
yet insightful,
making people ponder
as it soundly zaps its targets.
Witty,
subtle, pointed ammunition
aims, fires, amuses,
inciting us
to think.
(Author’s Note: This is a Butterfly Cinquain. The syllable count is 2, 4, 6, 8, 2, 8, 6, 4, 2. At least, I hope it’s a Butterfly Cinquain — I’ve never tried writing one before.)
Tags: Butterfly Cinquain, Poetry Forms, Satire
Posted in Cinquains, Poetry Forms, Poetry Rules, Wordplay | 13 Comments »
Wednesday, March 23rd, 2011
Limerick Ode To A Vigorous Old Lady
By Madeleine Begun Kane
An old grandma with spring in her walk
Moved so quickly that people would gawk.
When asked if a gym
Was the source of her vim
She said, “No — Jim, Kim, Henry and Hawk.”
(Posted at this spring prompt and at Poetic Asides’ spring prompt.)
UPDATE: July 23 is Gorgeous Grandma Day.
Tags: Aging Humor & Verse, Energy Verse, Exercise Humor, Gorgeous Grandma Day, Gym Membership, Health Poetry, July Holidays, Odd Holidays, Seniors Humor, Vim And Vigor, Walking, Wordplay Humor
Posted in Aging Humor & Verse, Battle of the Sexes, Behavior & Personality, Exercise Humor, Gym Humor, Health & Medical Humor, Health Verse, Light Verse, Limericks, Odd Holdays, Physical Appearance, Relationship Humor, Seniors Poetry, Walking Humor, Wordplay | 8 Comments »
Tuesday, March 22nd, 2011
As you can see from this verse, I’m inseparable from silliness:
Inseparable —
ventriloquist and dummy
joined at the quip.
Inseparable —
honeymooning newlyweds
joined at the lip.
Inseparable —
masochist and sadist
joined at the whip.
Inseparable —
gambler and his bookie
joined at the tip.
Inseparable —
compulsive gambler and debt
joined at the Strip.
Inseparable —
the hop and the jump
joined at the skip.
Inseparable —
Jewish moms and their children
joined at the guilt trip.
(Written for Writers Island’s inseparable prompt)
Tags: Couples, Haiku & Senryu, Pairings, Poetry & Prompts, Wordplay Humor, Writer's Island
Posted in Haiku & Senryu, Language Humor, Wordplay | 2 Comments »
Thursday, February 24th, 2011
When I heard that the February 27th prompt over at One Single Impression is vellicate, I knew I was in trouble. Why? Cuz I had no idea what it meant and how it’s pronounced. And even after I’d Googled the damn word, it still didn’t feel assimilated. Plus it just didn’t tickle my funny bone.
But though I was irritated by its unfamiliarity, I was itching to write a limerick. So here it is:
Itching To Write A Limerick
By Madeleine Begun Kane
Often poetry prompts can enrich.
But they sometimes can be quite a bitch.
Sunday’s vellicate prompt
On my brain cells has stomped.
The mere thought of that word makes me twitch.
Tags: Creativity, One Single Impression, Poetry & Prompts, Word Play Humor, Writer's Block, Writing Prompts
Posted in Creativity Verse, Limericks, Poetry & Prompts, Wordplay, Writing & Publishing Humor | 18 Comments »
Monday, August 30th, 2010
I hope you’ll join me in writing a limerick with this first line:
A man who was known for his buns…
Here’s mine:
Hot Crossed Limerick
By Madeleine Begun Kane
A man who was known for his buns
Attracted most gals — even nuns.
How those dames would delight
In his ass oh so tight,
Ignoring his poor half-baked puns.
Please feel free to write your own limerick using the same first line and post it in my comments. And if you’re on Facebook, I hope you’ll join my friends in that same activity in my Limerick-Offs.
Update — Note: I will soon start announcing these Limerick-Offs via private email instead of FB messaging, because FB group messaging anti-spam policies are making it very difficult for me to send legitimate messages out to groups of twenty. (My Facebook Straits recounts just some of my difficulties with FB’s anti-spam controls.)
So if you’d like to receive private email notices letting you know I’ve posted a new Limerick-Off first line, please send me a private email to MadKane@MadKane.com with the subject line “Limerick-Off Announcement Request.” Thanks very much!
Tags: Appearance Humor, Baking Humor, Battle of the Sexes, Food Verse, Poetry & Prompts, Puns, Wordplay, Writing Prompts
Posted in Battle of the Sexes, Limerick & Haiku Prompts, Limerick-Offs, Limericks, Physical Appearance, Poetry & Prompts, Wordplay | 23 Comments »
Friday, May 23rd, 2008
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.
Tags: Date Haiku, Dating Limerick, Dining Humor, Food Humor, Waiter Verse, Writing Prompts
Posted in Dating Humor, Food & Drink Humor, Haiku & Senryu, Limerick & Haiku Prompts, Limericks, Poetry & Prompts, Relationship Humor, Wordplay | 13 Comments »