A few minutes ago, I announced the 104th Limerick of the Week. And that means it’s anniversary time at Mad Kane’s Limerick-Offs. <\/p>\n
The Limerick of the Week Awards started as an experiment nearly two years ago in March 2011. Of course, I had been informally posting limerick prompts for years before that. But it was on March 13, 2011 that I decided to get organized and start picking weekly winners.<\/a> Here’s what I wrote. <\/p>\n But I\u2019m trying something a bit different this time: One of your limericks will be anointed Limerick Of The Week.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n As you can see, my experiment took, and next week I’ll be awarding the first Limerick of the Week for Year 3. So congratulations to all of you and thanks so much for helping to make this limerick competition such a success.<\/p>\n Oh … and in case you’re wondering who our first Limerick of the Week Winner was, it was our very own Phyllis Sterling Smith a\/k\/a Granny Smith<\/a>. You can read her clever winning limerick here<\/a>, along with delightful Honorable Mention limericks from David Lefkovits a\/k\/a Dr. Goose<\/a>, Versebender<\/a>, and co-writers (not to mention married couple) Catherine Palmer and Ron Mardix. <\/p>\n In light of our 2nd Limerick of the Week Anniversary, I\u2019m offering you an alternative: In addition to your regular challenge, you may write a limerick related to any kind of anniversary, using any first line. Next week I\u2019ll present an extra award \u2014 one for the best anniversary-related limerick.<\/p>\n And now, getting back to the business at hand, it\u2019s 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\u2019re a Facebook user, on Facebook too.<\/a><\/p>\n The best submission will be crowned Limerick Of The Week. (Here\u2019s last week\u2019s Limerick Of The Week Winner<\/a>.)<\/p>\n How will your poems be judged? By meter, rhyme, cleverness, and humor. (If you\u2019re feeling a bit fuzzy about limerick writing rules, here’s my How To Write A Limerick<\/em><\/a> article.)<\/p>\n I\u2019ll announce the Limerick of the Week Winner next Sunday, right before I post next week\u2019s Limerick-Off. So that gives you a full week to submit your clever, polished verse. Your submission deadline is Saturday at 11:59 p.m. (Eastern Time.)<\/p>\n I hope you\u2019ll join me in writing a limerick with this first line:<\/p>\n A fellow who wanted a raise…*<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n or<\/p>\n A woman who wanted a raise…*<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n or<\/p>\n A fellow was catching some rays…*<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n or<\/p>\n A woman was catching some rays…*<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n (Please note that minor variations to my first lines are acceptable. However, rhyme words may not<\/strong> be altered, except by using homonyms or homophones.)<\/p>\n Here\u2019s my limerick:<\/p>\n Limerick Rays A man had been catching some rays, Please feel free to write your own limerick using the same first line and post it in my comments. And if you\u2019re on Facebook, I hope you\u2019ll join my friends in that same activity on my Facebook Limerick-Off post.<\/a><\/p>\n
\nBy Madeleine Begun Kane<\/p>\n
\nLazing lakeside — he’d done it for days,
\nWhile his wife hid inside:
\n“Sun is bad for your hide,
\nAnd besides, wasted time never pays.”<\/p>\n