Thanks to all of you who participated in this, my first limerick writing contest.\u00a0 (And yes, I’ll be holding these contests regularly.)<\/p>\n
The response to my spring limerick contest<\/a> exceeded my wildest hopes – nearly 60 poems were submitted.\u00a0 In fact, there were so many wonderful entries — some poignant, some laugh-out-loud funny — that it was hard to select the winners.\u00a0<\/p>\n But the voting’s in and the panel\u00a0has rendered its decision.\u00a0 Okay, I admit it —\u00a0 it was a panel of one —\u00a0me.\u00a0 Still,\u00a0I did so much arguing with myself, that it felt like a much larger panel.<\/p>\n I’m awarding a First Prize ($25 in PayPal cash), a Second Prize ($10 in\u00a0PayPal cash), and five Honorable Mentions.\u00a0 And the winners are…\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n FIRST PRIZE goes to Graham Lester<\/a>\u00a0for this lovely limerick:<\/p>\n Blossoms bloom, we\u2019re in love, and it\u2019s Spring! SECOND PRIZE goes to Bob Dvorak for this fine limerick:<\/p>\n Flight of fancy, my love taking wing And five HONORABLE MENTIONS go to (in no particular order) …<\/p>\n J. E. Pettit: hugh t: Richard Stehr: Mephistopheles: David Franks: Congratulations to all the winners, and thanks again\u00a0to everybody who participated. (You can read all of the entries here.<\/a>)<\/p>\n
\nHow delightful, you\u2019re going to sing!
\nYou\u2019re as sweet as a flower,
\nYet I\u2019m suddenly sour
\nAs you say, \u201cAnd now something by Sting. . .\u201d<\/p>\n
\nJoins the jaybirds and bluebirds that sing
\nAs the days burgeon long \u2013
\nHear my heart beating strong
\nFor my darling. I love you. It\u2019s spring!<\/p>\n
\nIt\u2019s springtime, which means that my fancy
\nIs turning to thoughts of my Nancy.
\nBut marry this summer?
\nI\u2019d have to be dumber;
\nHer husband would kill us! Too chancy!<\/p>\n
\nPassion\u2019s flames have died down to an ember:
\nShe is April; I\u2019m chill December.
\nIt\u2019s a rather sad thing
\nTo remember one\u2019s Spring
\nWhen there\u2019s not much spring left in one\u2019s member.<\/p>\n
\nThrough the winter I slog and I schlep,
\nBut in spring there\u2019s a spring in my step.
\nAll the birds are in song,
\nAnd I\u2019m singing along
\nWith a throat that is strong\u2026and not strep.<\/p>\n
\nThat \u201cSproing!\u201d that we hear is the sound
\nAs our greenery springs from the ground.
\nEvery Spring, there\u2019s a chance
\nWe\u2019ll get rioting plants,
\nWhen their mainsprings get overly wound.<\/p>\n
\nThough it\u2019s cold, I find winter infernal\u2013
\nIts dim, lifeless stay seems eternal.
\nTake this hiemal night!
\nGive me growth, life and light:
\nMy favorite days are the vernal.<\/p>\n