Longtime readers of Vridar may recall my “Bad Five-Line Poems.” As you know, a true limerick is not simply a poem that follows the form AABBA; it must also be dirty. Since a “clean limerick” is an oxymoron, we must call them something else.
I’ve been writing politically charged bad five-line poems on Facebook for a few years now, using the term “#Dimmerick.” (My wife often calls me “Dim,” and not without reason. Several old friends from my enlisted days still sometimes call me Dimmy or Dimmer.)
At any rate, for various reasons, I now believe that Facebook is a terrible place to post original content. I’m going to try them out here. And if I can find the inspiration, I’ll try to make them a regular feature.
Our paychecks keep getting slimmer.
Our prospects markedly dimmer.
‘Cause the system’s corrupt.
All wealth trickles up.
And a rising tide drowns all swimmers.
#Dimmerick.
Tim Widowfield
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Funny you should post this now, because I am in the middle of a 30 day Limerick challenge (one per day) with a friend.
The other key to Limericks–not just the AABBA rhyme–is anapestic meter (an a PEST/ li mer ICK).
Lines should also match in stressed and unstressed syllables. The ones in parenthesis are optional, but the lines should match.
A: (da) da DA da da DA da da DA (da) (da)
B: (da) da DA da da DA (da)
example:
da DA da da DA da da DA
da DA da da DA
Des PITE com plete LACK of a SOUL
and NOT near as MUCH self- con TROL
i DO what i CAN
to BE come the MAN
i CAN if i DON’T pi geon HOLE
Heh Tim
I love writing poetic limericks as well..I like this one you wrote..just a note to make it flow better..I think you meant to say “wealth” instead of “weath”.
Thanks!