Comedy

This week: How do you Clerihew?

Edited by: 1starsong
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I am back, your not so funny host for this edition.

It is NaPoWriMo month and poets are challenged to write a poem a day! I thought it might be fun to consider another comic form of poetry as a bit of light writing!

The Clerihew.

"The meaning of the poet Gray
was always as clear as day
while that of the poet Blake
was often particularly opaque."
~Edmund Bentley

The Clerihew was invented by Edmund Clerihew Bentley {1875-1956} as a way to destress from heavy class loads in school in St. Paul's and Oxford. He was 16 years old when he wrote his first one:

"Sir Humphrey Davy
was not fond of gravy.
He lived in the odium
of having discovered sodium"

He became a well known novelist and humorist and died at 80 in 1956.

The form is a short nonsensical verse meant to be whimsical and absurd, NOT satirical or abusive in nature. The idea is to poke fun at a famous person in an absurd common setting or from an unusual point of view. I could reveal something unknown or spurious and has a biographical truth about the subject. One might say it parodies the eulogy form.

For example, in this one by Bentley, he indicates that DeMille is known for historical inaccuracies by exaggerating.

"Cecile B. de Mille
rather against his will
was pursuaded to have Moses
out of the War of the Roses."

It has 4 lines in rhyming couplets, with irregular meter and line length. It is meant as a comic effect and has clumsy feel to it when read aloud. It has an AABB rhyme scheme and often a forced rhyme. The first line is generally a name and it really tests one's ability to rhyme. Some names are indeed difficult to rhyme.

Bentley's most famous one from 1905 goes like this:

Sir Christopher Wren
said, "I'm going to dine with some men.
If anyone calls,
say I'm dining at St. Paul's."

Another way Bentley used it is shown in his introduction in his book "Biography for Beginners" . It seems you can apply the form to fit a purpose.

"The Art of Biography
Is different from Geography.
Geography is about Maps,
But Biography is about Chaps."

I recently took part in the Very British Challenge and did a poem on George the third so I had a laugh when I found this rather scathing clerihew:

"George the Third
Ought to never have occurred.
One can only wonder
at so grotesque a blunder."

A few cool facts:

National Clerihew Day is July 10 in honour of Bentley's birthday!
There are clerihew about the Klingon Worf, the Road Runner, Garfield the cat! The sky is the limit when it comes to special people! You could even write about a friend!

Go lightly now.

Have fun.

Sources: www.poemhunter.com/edmund-clerihew-bentley/poems/

A few clerihew and comical pieces that caught my attention!

STATIC

Maya Angelou

(E)
How can she live up to her words? Day 20 (Form: Clerihew)
#1997193 by 🌝 HuntersMoon

STATIC

Spock Time

(E)
A Star Trek Clerihew.
#1924853 by Teargen

Invalid Item

This item number is not valid.
#1782071 by Not Available.

Mudd's Spud

(E)
Star Trek Clerihew
#1921589 by Prosperous Snow celebrating

A Holmesian Clerihew.

(13+)
How Sherlock Holmes ordered his day.
#1162018 by Bill Kinahan

Invalid Item

This item number is not valid.
#2116682 by Not Available.

Rapunzel

(ASR)
Not quite what the Prince expected.
#2106279 by RainbowFish

STATIC

Countdown

(13+)
A countdown to what – no one was sure
#2114730 by Tiggy 🌺

STATIC

GARLIC

(E)
Garlic, How do I Love Thee? Let Me Count the Ways....
#1588403 by InkWellspring66

Invalid Item

This item number is not valid.
#2115163 by Not Available.

STATIC

An Encounter With Carrot Top

(18+)
carrots do get steamed...
#2117351 by Phoenix McKnight

STATIC

Rooted in History

(13+)
Whether you carrot or not *groan* ... A PersonITfication Entry
#2117459 by 🌝 HuntersMoon

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Replies and Limericks from my previous newsletter challenge. Thank you so much!

Gosh, you all did wonderful limericks that made me laugh! The winner of my Limerick MB is.... nfdarbe Thanks to everyone who took up the challenge!

From andy78

Perfectly timed NL, Mona. Very informative! Here's my not quite so bawdy limerick

There once was a man from Nantucket
Who got his head stuck in a bucket
Then he fell down some stairs
Didn't know any swears
So he just said "Oh gosh darned heck it!"

From jadeamberjewel

Loved this newsletter! Now I want to try my hand at limericks! Thanks!

From kimbro1958
I've written a few. This is one of the best, I think...
"The Spinster's Jig"

From arakun

A noisy old spectre named Dave
Has never learned how to behave
He rattles his chain
And is quite a pain
I wish he would stay in his grave.

(That one isn't new. I wrote it for a Halloween activity a few years ago. It's the best one I ever wrote though!)

From lifelessons

So many people come off as shady
That man and his beautiful lady
He may be president
yet it is irrelevant
Are we on a prank show,maybe?

From nfdarbe

Here is my limerick for the challenge. "A Good Limerick"

Does anyone's funny bone muse have a clerihew hankering? Send yours here and I will pick my favourite for an MB!

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