Archive for June, 2008

I’m a 2008 Robert Benchley Society Award for Humor Finalist.

Tuesday, June 24th, 2008

Cool news! I’m a 2008 Robert Benchley Society Award for Humor Competition finalist. (The humor column that got me onto the finalists list is Guide For The Opera Impaired.)

“We had a delightful time selecting our top ten finalists this year,” said Robert Benchley Society chairperson David Trumbull. “It is a true honor to turn the job of selecting the top four essays over to Bob Newhart.”

“All of the entries are read blind.  No one knows who wrote which essay until the judging is finished.  This keeps the competition entirely merit based,” said Horace J. Digby, a past Benchley Society Award winner…

Newhart’s selection and ranking of the top four winners for this year’s Robert Benchley Society Awards will be announced the week of July 6th. 
 
The Robert Benchley Society Award for Humor is an international writing competition dedicated to the warm, self-effacing comic writing style that made Benchley so beloved during his lifetime.  …

I thought I’d celebrate with a limerick:

I can barely maintain my sobriety
Cuz the great Robert Benchley Society
Held a contest and wow,
I’m a finalist now.
Will I win the top prize? High anxiety!

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Posted in Bob Newhart, Contests, Humor Columns & Humorous Essays, Limericks, Robert Benchley Society, Writing & Publishing Humor | 5 Comments »

Just Deserts (Limerick & Haiku Prompt — through July 7th)

Monday, June 23rd, 2008

Sorry for the delay (one wrist is broken and I’m having a bad carpal tunnel attack in the other). Today’s limerick, haiku, and senryu theme is food and drink. First, my limerick:

There once was a fellow named Dwight
Who fought over gin bills each night.
He was covered with scars
From his battles in bars.
His lesson? Don’t fight while you’re tight.

And now my haiku (senryu):

Brandy with choc’late,
French champagne with peach ice cream,
Water with asp’rin.

Now, of course, it’s your turn. Your assignment, should you choose to accept it, is to write some verse about food and drink. When you’ve posted your poem(s), please return here and add a direct link to your themed poetry, using Mr. Linky. There’s no rush, by the way, because you have ten days to post it.

Limerick and Haiku Prompts Participants   

1. Lirone
2. Noah the Great
3. Noah the Great
4. Linda – Nickers and Ink		 5. Connie
6. Melly
7. Crafty Green Poet (Over 40 Shades)
8. Granny Smith		 9. Bevie
10. Lilibeth
11. Jenn

UPDATE: Mr. Linky is now closed, but you can still add links to your food and drink verse in the Comments. And if you’d like to participate in a new poetry prompt, you can always find my latest one here.

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Posted in Food & Drink Humor, Limerick & Haiku Prompts, Limericks, Poetry & Prompts | 9 Comments »

Irreparable Poem

Saturday, June 21st, 2008

Irreparable Poem
By Madeleine Begun Kane

I’m writing some verse about mending.
My deadline is soon and unbending.
But alas I can’t fix it
And may have to nix it.
My problem? Can’t think of an ending.

(You can find more endings here.)

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Posted in Limericks, Writing & Publishing Humor | 4 Comments »

Ode To A Letter Opener

Monday, June 16th, 2008

This poem started out as a senryu. But 17-syllables weren’t enough to say what I needed to say.  So I added two 7-syllable lines, turning it into my first tanka:

Letter opener
Nearly cast aside as trash
Now my salvation,
Soothing, becalming the itch
That haunts my encasted arm.

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Posted in Health Verse, Tanka | 1 Comment »

Grandma’s Keys Haiku (Senryu)

Sunday, June 15th, 2008

Grandma’s key-drawer,
Filled with reminders of a
Life I never knew.

(More old keys here)

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Posted in Family Verse, Haiku & Senryu | 2 Comments »

Quick Story & Other Verse (Limerick & Haiku Prompt)

Friday, June 13th, 2008

Today’s limerick, haiku, and senryu theme is furniture and furnishings. First, my limerick:

Quick Story
By Madeleine Begun Kane

“Quick story,” my husband declares.
“It’s short — I’m not kidding,” he swears.
But I know that he’s wrong.
He’ll be witty, but long.
How I wish I could find us some chairs.

And now two haiku (senryu):

Dad climbs into bed.
His poodle growls in protest.
Their turf war begins.

Sixty-year-old chair,
still covered in plastic,
protected from life.

Now, of course, it’s your turn. Your assignment, should you choose to accept it, is to write some verse about furniture and furnishings. When you’ve posted your poem(s), please return here and add a direct link to your themed poetry, using Mr. Linky. There’s no rush, by the way, because you have a whole week to post it.

(Note: My poems were inspired by these three prompts: “being told a story,” “pets,” and “father / find.”)

Limerick and Haiku Prompts Participants

     

1. SandyCarlson
2. Connie
3. Patricia (a/k/a Roswila)
4. Jade		 5. Linda – Nickers and Ink
6. Noah the Great
7. Noah the Great
8. Bevie		 9. Crafty Green poet
10. art predator

UPDATE: Mr. Linky is now closed, but you can still add links to your furniture and furnishings verse in the Comments. And if you’d like to participate in a new poetry prompt, you can always find my latest one here.

UPDATE 2: World Storytelling Day falls on the spring equinox in the northern hemisphere.

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Posted in Animal & Pet Humor, Battle of the Sexes, Family & Relatives Humor, House & Home Humor, Limerick & Haiku Prompts, Limericks, Mothers & Fathers Humor, Odd Holidays, Poetry & Prompts, Relationship Humor, Sleep & Insomnia Humor | 14 Comments »

Sleepless In Bayside (Limerick, Haiku, & Senryu Prompt)

Friday, June 6th, 2008

Sorry for my late posting. As I mentioned in my last post, I recently broke my wrist.

Today’s limerick, haiku, and senryu theme is sleep and insomnia. First, my limerick:

Sleepless In Bayside
By Madeleine Begun Kane

My husband can catnap at will,
And my jealous reaction is shrill.
My insomnia’s bad —
Just can’t help getting mad,
Cuz his snores can be heard in Brazil.

And now my haiku or senryu:

I watch my husband
Sleep hour after hour.
What is his secret?

Now, of course, it’s your turn. Your assignment, should you choose to accept it, is to write some verse about sleep and insomnia. When you’ve posted your poem(s), please return here and add a direct link to your themed poetry, using Mr. Linky. There’s no rush, by the way, because you have a whole week to post it.

(Note: My poems were inspired by these three prompts: “catnap, “my nights” and “when I watch you.”)

Limerick and Haiku Prompts Participants  

1. gautami tripathy
2. lissa
3. Granny Smith
4. Crafty Green Poet		 5. Bevie
6. Noah the Great
7. Noah the Great
8. Bevie		 9. Mary’s Madness
10. art predator
11. Connie

UPDATE: Mr. Linky is now closed, but you can still add links to your sleep and insomnia verse in the Comments. And if you’d like to participate in a new poetry prompt, you can always find my latest one here.

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Posted in Battle of the Sexes, Family & Relatives Humor, Haiku & Senryu, Limerick & Haiku Prompts, Marriage Humor, Poetry & Prompts, Relationship Humor, Sleep & Insomnia Humor | 12 Comments »

Why So Quiet? A Limerick-Explanation

Wednesday, June 4th, 2008

This space has been quiet of late.
But it’s not that my readers don’t rate.
I’ve broken my wrist,
And my brain’s in a twist
From pain killers. Writing must wait.

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Posted in Blogging Humor, Health & Medical Humor, Limericks, Mental Health Humor | 4 Comments »