Posts Tagged ‘Odd Holidays’

Happy World Rhino Day!

Friday, September 21st, 2012

Tomorrow, September 22nd, is World Rhino Day. And I’m very pleased to announce that my Limerick Ode To The Rhinoceros is included in the International Poetry Anthology For Rhino in a Shrinking World. And that it was one of five of the anthology’s poems read at a World Rhino Day celebration in Grahamstown, South Africa.

Limerick Ode To The Rhinoceros
By Madeleine Begun Kane

The rhino appears prehistoric,
With a diet that’s vega-caloric.
It’s endangered, alas.
Laws to save it must pass.
This would make all its lovers euphoric.

UPDATE: May 1 is Save The Rhino Day.

Limerick Ode To Bad Poetry Day

Friday, August 17th, 2012

A big holiday’s coming up tomorrow, August 18th: Bad Poetry Day.

Limerick Ode To Bad Poetry Day
By Madeleine Begun Kane

Bad Poetry Day is tomorrow.
I shall greet it with fear and some sorrow.
Will my e-box be strewn
With verse that’s rough-hewn?
Do you have a good rhyme I can borrow?

Happy Book Lover’s Day! (Limerick)

Wednesday, August 8th, 2012

Tomorrow, August 9, is Book Lover’s Day Needless to say, I’m celebrating with a limerick:

Best Selling Limerick
By Madeleine Begun Kane

A fellow who had what it took
To author a best selling book
“Wrote” novels galore.
(Able ghosts did the chore.)
He made millions by hook and by crook.

A Game Limerick

Wednesday, August 8th, 2012

One of my favorite weekly prompts is Three Word Wednesday. This week, it asks us to use the following three words in any sort of poem: Crumble, Drawn and Uneasy. Well, I managed to squeeze them all into this limerick:

A Game Limerick
By Madeleine Begun Kane

A chess player, looking quite drawn,
Was caught in an uneasy yawn.
“My game skills have crumbled,”
The man weakly mumbled.
“I feel like I’m naught but a pawn.”

UPDATE: July 20th is International Chess Day, and the 2nd Saturday of October is National Chess Day.

Rueful Limerick (Limerick-Off Monday)

Sunday, July 15th, 2012

It’s Limerick-Off time, once again. And that means I write a limerick, and you write your own, using the same first line. Then you post your limerick here and, if you’re a Facebook user, on Facebook too.

The best submission will be crowned Limerick Of The Week. (Here’s last week’s Limerick Of The Week Winner.)

How will your poems be judged? By meter, rhyme, cleverness, and humor. (If you’re feeling a bit fuzzy about limerick writing rules, here’s my How To Write A Limerick article.)

I’ll announce the Limerick of the Week Winner right before I post next week’s Limerick-Off. So that gives you a full week to submit your clever, polished verse.

I hope you’ll join me in writing a limerick with this first line:

A fellow was starting to rue…*

or

A woman was starting to rue…*

*(Minor variations to my first lines are acceptable, but rhyme words may not be altered.)

Here’s my limerick:

Rueful Limerick
By Madeleine Begun Kane

A fellow was starting to rue
His decision to holler his boo
At a Will Shakespeare play.
What ensued was a fray:
About nothing, he feared, much ado.

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 on my Facebook Limerick-Off post.

To receive an email alert whenever I post a new Limerick-Off, please email Madkane@MadKane.com Subject: MadKane’s Newsletter. Thanks!

UPDATE: April 23 is Talk Like Shakespeare Day.

Pressing Issue (Limerick)

Saturday, June 30th, 2012

October 21 is “Count Your Buttons Day.” But I’m pretty sure these aren’t the kind of buttons celebrated by this holiday.

There are folks with a notable skill:
They can press all my buttons at will.
You would think at my age
That I’d fin’lly be sage,
But I still haven’t learned how to chill.

(Prompted by button over at DVerse.)

Limerick Ode To National Martini Day

Monday, June 18th, 2012

Tomorrow, June 19, is National Martini Day. I figured it was best to celebrate with a limerick … before starting on that martini:

Limerick Ode To National Martini Day
By Madeleine Begun Kane

The martini’s a drink for the tough,
Cuz that cocktail is strong, sometimes rough.
Many favor it gin-filled,
Which leaves me chagrin-filled.
Try tequila instead: It’s good stuff!

Limerick Ode To National Corn on the Cob Day

Monday, June 11th, 2012

Today, June 11, is National Corn on the Cob Day.

Limerick Ode To National Corn On The Cob Day
By Madeleine Begun Kane

It’s Corn on the Cob Day today–
A fine dish for a summer buffet.
I’m guessing its gloss
Comes from firms that sell floss.
Do they secretly root for decay?

Camp-Free Limerick

Wednesday, June 6th, 2012

Poetic Asides prompts us to write poems about camping. As you can see, I’m not exactly a roughing-it kind of gal:

Camp-Free Limerick
By Madeleine Begun Kane

I’m reluctant to rough it outside.
I need comforts a house can provide.
I’m too timid to camp,
But at home I’m a champ
Where mosquitoes can’t feast on my hide.

Update: August 20 is World Mosquito Day.

Limerick Ode To National Wine Day (May 25)

Wednesday, May 23rd, 2012

Are you all ready to celebrate National Wine Day?

Limerick Ode To National Wine Day
By Madeleine Begun Kane

It’s Wine Day on May twenty-five.
Don’t go guzzling your beer in some dive.
Sip a rich cabernet,
Pinot, aligoté,
But mull this: when you drink, do not drive.

(You can find more of my wine and food humor here.)

Limerick Invention

Thursday, May 10th, 2012

DVerse Poets asks us to wax poetic about machine dreams:

Limerick Invention
By Madeleine Begun Kane

A fellow invented an app
That fills a technology gap:
It gives you a pinch
If your boss starts to inch
Near your desk, while you’re taking a nap.

(You can find more of my technology humor here.)

UPDATE: February 28 is National Public Sleeping Day.

UPDATE 2: National Napping Day is the second Monday of March (the Monday after DST.)

Sun-Tanned Limerick (Limerick-Off Monday)

Sunday, May 6th, 2012

It’s Limerick-Off time, once again. And that means I write a limerick, and you write your own, using the same first line. Then you post your limerick here and, if you’re a Facebook user, on Facebook too.

The best submission will be crowned Limerick Of The Week. (Here’s last week’s Limerick Of The Week Winner.)

How will your poems be judged? By meter, rhyme, cleverness, and humor. (If you’re feeling a bit fuzzy about limerick writing rules, here’s my How To Write A Limerick article.)

I’ll announce the Limerick of the Week Winner right before I post next week’s Limerick-Off. So that gives you a full week to submit your clever, polished verse.

I hope you’ll join me in writing a limerick with this first line:

A gal with a very deep tan…*

or

A guy with a very deep tan…*

*(Minor variations to my first lines are acceptable, but rhyme words may not be altered.)

Here’s my limerick:

Sun-Tanned Limerick
By Madeleine Begun Kane

A gal with a very deep tan
Was hoping to pick up a man.
But the guys got one look,
And that’s all that it took:
Wrinkled skin made her look like their gran.

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 on my Facebook Limerick-Off post.

To receive an email alert whenever I post a new Limerick-Off, please email Madkane@MadKane.com Subject: MadKane’s Newsletter. Thanks!

UPDATE: July 3rd is Stay Out Of The Sun Day.

Show-Off Limerick (Limerick-Off Monday)

Sunday, April 1st, 2012

It’s Limerick-Off time, once again. And that means I write a limerick, and you write your own, using the same first line. Then you post your limerick here and, if you’re a Facebook user, on Facebook too.

The best submission will be crowned Limerick Of The Week. (Here’s last week’s Limerick Of The Week Winner.)

How will your poems be judged? By meter, rhyme, cleverness, and humor. (If you’re feeling a bit fuzzy about limerick writing rules, here’s my How To Write A Limerick article.)

I’ll announce the Limerick of the Week Winner right before I post next week’s Limerick-Off. So that gives you a full week to submit your clever, polished verse.

I hope you’ll join me in writing a limerick with this first line:

A fellow was trying to show…*

or

A woman was trying to show…*

*(Minor variations to my first lines are acceptable, but rhyme words may not be altered.)

Here’s my limerick:

Show-Off Limerick
By Madeleine Begun Kane

A fellow was trying to show
He was savvy, refined, in the know.
But he blew it one night —
An embarrassing sight:
He mistook Pinot Noir for Bordeaux.

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 on my Facebook Limerick-Off post.

To receive an email alert whenever I post a new Limerick-Off, please email Madkane@MadKane.com Subject: MadKane’s Newsletter. Thanks!

Update: Happy Drink Wine Day! (February 18th)

Limerick Ode To The GPS

Monday, March 19th, 2012

Every so often, I read about someone who blindly obeys his car’s GPS and ends up under water. Here’s the latest incident, involving common sense-challenged Japanese tourists who try to drive to an island.

Limerick Ode To The GPS
By Madeleine Begun Kane

If your car’s GPS tells you, “Go,”
But there’s water ahead, you should know
That it’s better to park.
Check your map. Find an ark.
Or else gear up for driving in l’eau.

UPDATE: April 5 is Read A Road Map Day.

Inventive Limerick

Saturday, February 11th, 2012

Happy National Inventors’ Day! Why is National Inventors’ Day celebrated on February 11th? Back in 1983, President Ronald Reagan proclaimed February 11th National Inventors’ Day to honor the anniversary of inventor Thomas Alva Edison’s birth.

Here’s a silly invention-related limerick that has absolutely to do with Edison:

Inventive Limerick
By Madeleine Begun Kane

A device that was meant to clean crud
Made a mess and was rather a dud.
But in spite of this glitch,
The inventor got rich,
Which explains why his name became mud.

Leading With Limericks (Limerick-Off Monday)

Sunday, January 29th, 2012

It’s Limerick-Off time, once again. And that means I write a limerick, and you write your own, using the same first line. Then you post your limerick here and, if you’re a Facebook user, on Facebook too.

The best submission will be crowned Limerick Of The Week. (Here’s last week’s Limerick Of The Week Winner plus the Honorable Mentions.)

How will your poems be judged? By meter, rhyme, and cleverness. (If you’re feeling a bit fuzzy about limerick writing rules, you can find some helpful resources listed here.)

I’ll announce the Limerick of the Week Winner right before I post next week’s Limerick-Off. So that gives you a full week to submit your clever, polished verse.

I hope you’ll join me in writing a limerick with this first line:

A fellow was trying to lead…*

or

A woman was trying to lead…*

*(Minor variations to my first lines are acceptable, but rhyme words may not be altered.)

Here’s my limerick:

Leading With Limericks
By Madeleine Begun Kane

A fellow was trying to lead,
But his rumba was not up to speed.
His steps got all tangled,
His partner’s feet mangled.
I’m guessing that’s why he was kneed.

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 on my Facebook Limerick-Off post.

To receive an email alert whenever I post a new Limerick-Off, please email Madkane@MadKane.com Subject: MadKane’s Newsletter. Thanks!

UPDATE: Happy International Dance Day! (April 29th)

Take A Shot At Limericks (Limerick-Off Monday)

Sunday, October 16th, 2011

It’s Limerick-Off time, once again. And that means I write a limerick, and you write your own, using the same first line. Then you post your limerick here and, if you’re a Facebook user, on Facebook too.

The best submission will be crowned Limerick Of The Week. (Here’s last week’s Limerick Of The Week Winner plus the Honorable Mentions.)

How will your poems be judged? By meter, rhyme, and cleverness. (If you’re feeling a bit fuzzy about limerick writing rules, you can find some helpful resources listed here.)

I’ll announce the Limerick of the Week Winner right before I post next week’s Limerick-Off. So that gives you a full week to submit your clever, polished verse.

I hope you’ll join me in writing a limerick with this first line:

A fellow who’d taken a shot…

or

A woman who’d taken a shot…

Here’s mine:

Take A Shot At Limericks
By Madeleine Begun Kane

A fellow who’d taken a shot
At a gal, once his lover, now not,
Missed her heart, hit her arm
And still did her great harm.
Now he sleeps on an old jailhouse cot.

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 on my Facebook Limerick-Off post.

To receive an email alert whenever I post a new Limerick-Off, please send me an email requesting the alerts. You’ll find my email address on the upper right sidebar, in the “Author” section just below my Limerick-Offs button. Thanks!

UPDATE: April 23 is Lover’s Day

A Case Of Limericks (Limerick-Off Monday)

Saturday, October 8th, 2011

It’s Limerick-Off time, once again. And that means I write a limerick, and you write your own, using the same first line. Then you post your limerick here and, if you’re a Facebook user, on Facebook too.

The best submission will be crowned Limerick Of The Week. (Here’s last week’s Limerick Of The Week Winner plus the Honorable Mentions.)

How will your poems be judged? By meter, rhyme, and cleverness. (If you’re feeling a bit fuzzy about limerick writing rules, you can find some helpful resources listed here.)

I’ll announce the Limerick of the Week Winner right before I post next week’s Limerick-Off. So that gives you a full week to submit your clever, polished verse.

I hope you’ll join me in writing a limerick with this first line:

A woman at work on a case…

or

A fellow at work on a case…

Here’s mine:

A Case Of Limericks
By Madeleine Begun Kane

An attorney at work on a case
Was finding some facts hard to face.
She feared that her client
(A mild-mannered giant)
Killed his wife cuz he wanted more space.

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 on my Facebook Limerick-Off post.

To receive an email alert whenever I post a new Limerick-Off, please send me an email requesting the alerts. You’ll find my email address on the upper right sidebar, in the “Author” section just below my Limerick-Offs button. Thanks!

Sleepy Haiku

Wednesday, August 24th, 2011

I lie in my bed,
coaxing my brain to adapt
and glide into sleep.

*****

Insomnia strikes
when I’m at my most weary—
tired irony.

*****

My lullaby verse—
I knew I should write it down—
now it’s lost to sleep.

*****

My thoughts skip around
like out-of-control children—
scaring sleep away.

*****

You can read my How To Become An Insomniac (Humorous How-To) here.

(My first haiku was inspired by Three Word Wednesday’s “adapt, glide, lie” prompt. My second haiku was inspired by Sensational Haiku Wednesday’s “weary” prompt.

Update: Happy Festival Of Sleep Day!

View my insomnia haiku image here.

More Squirrel Adventures (Limerick and More)

Thursday, August 18th, 2011

In late March I wrote some verse about our squirrel problem. More specifically, a squirrel that likes snoozing in my upstairs window sill under the AC.

As you can tell from my tanka and limerick, the brazen squirrel refused to be scared off. Sure, it would leave for a while. But just when I thought my squirrel was gone for good, there she was again in my window sill, kept outside only by a thin piece of plexiglass.

Well, guess who had babies:

The Squirrel That Likes To Sleep Next To My Upstairs Window AC Gave Birth To 5 Squirrel Pups In My Window Sill

Methinks it’s time for another squirrely limerick:

Squirrely Limerick
By Madeleine Begun Kane

A squirrel gave birth on my sill—
Near my window AC unit’s grill.
Each miniscule pup
(Five in all — two floors up)
Born an inch from my nose — chilling thrill.

Thanks to hubby Mark for snapping that photo.

UPDATE: Happy Squirrel Appreciation Day, January 21st!