Posts Tagged ‘Clerihews’

Eight 4-Liners For The Republican Contenders

Wednesday, October 12th, 2011

It’s time for some more political clerihews — whimsically biographical four-line poems, described more fully here.

I’ve written one for each of the would-be presidents who appeared at last night’s Republican debate:

Mass. Governor Mitt,
A job cutting hit.
He flips and he flops,
As positions he swaps.

*****

Herman “9-9-9” Cain:
(Romney hopes he’ll wane)
Though many think he rocks,
He belongs on Fox.

*****

James Richard Perry:
Is he bright? Not very.
A lousy debater—
Called Bernanke a traitor.

*****

Unhinged Michele
Is sinking pell-mell.
Even crazier than Palin—
Just what is she inhalin’?

*****

Former Speaker Newt,
A pompous beaut.
Purports to be intellectual,
At selling books effectual.

*****

Rick Santorum
Seems lost in this forum.
He’s none too calm
Over his Google Bomb.

*****

Libertarian Ron Paul
Is having a ball.
Doesn’t stand a chance.
But enjoys the dance.

*****

Jon Huntsman jokes
But can not coax
Any support for his reign.
He’s way too sane.

*****

Presidential Clerihews (Light Verse about Bush and Carter)

Friday, February 11th, 2011

I’m experimenting with a new (to me) type of light verse: the clerihew. Wikipedia provides several examples and describes the form as follows:

* It is biographical and usually whimsical, showing the subject from an unusual point of view; it pokes fun at mostly famous people

* It has four lines of irregular length (for comic effect); the third and fourth lines are usually longer than the first two

* The rhyme structure is AABB; the subject matter and wording are often humorously contrived in order to achieve a rhyme

*The first line consists solely (or almost solely) of the subject’s name.

I’ve written a pair of clerihews about two former U.S. Presidents, Jimmy Carter and George W. Bush:

Jimmy Carter,
Energy martyr.
Warned we’d be debtors,
Looked lousy in sweaters.

George W. Bush,
A pain in the tush.
Less nasty and brainy
Than running mate Cheney.