Writerly Verse (Limerick-Off Monday)

Once again, it’s Limerick-Off time. 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’re a Facebook user, on Facebook too.

So I hope you’ll join me in writing a limerick with this first line:

A woman was trying to write. …

or

A fellow was trying to write. …

Here’s mine. (It’s a three-verse limerick, but a standard one-verse limerick is fine, of course.)

Writerly Verse
By Madeleine Begun Kane

A woman was trying to write.
Ev’ry sentence and phrase was a fight.
She hated each line.
Too much whine. (Too much wine?)
And decided to call it a night.

She started again the next day.
But her muse seemed to be on delay.
So she showered and walked.
Inspiration still balked.
Though agnostic, she started to pray.

She returned to her screen with a curse.
Started typing for better or worse.
Tried to block her left brain,
Or her right, or the twain.
Then punched keys till at last she found verse.

Please feel free to write your own limerick using the same first line and post it in my comments. And if you’re on Facebook, I hope you’ll join my friends in that same activity in my Facebook Limerick-Off post.

To receive an email alert whenever I post a new Limerick-Off, please send me an email requesting the alerts. You’ll find my email address on the upper right sidebar, in the “Author” section just below my Limerick-Offs button. Thanks!

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37 Responses to “Writerly Verse (Limerick-Off Monday)”

  1. jesse levy says:

    A fellow was trying to write
    but his neighbors were noisy all night
    They were having a party
    and this guy was a smarty
    so he went over and then felt all right.

  2. jesse levy says:

    A woman was trying to write
    things that were really too polite
    so she added some curses
    and wrote dirty verses
    Now her bank account is out of sight

  3. Veralynne Pepper says:

    Your writerly verse is terrific!

    A man was trying to write
    But on whiskey he was higher than a kite
    His head was a swimmin’
    All his thoughts were of women
    His mords were so wixed he turned white!

  4. Linkmeister says:

    A woman was trying to write
    and struggling, byte after byte
    She pushed and she pulled
    Her wit became dulled
    And ne’er did her poem see light!

  5. A woman trying to write
    a villanelle couldn’t quite
    find the right word.
    What she wrote was absurd –
    the reverse of poetic delight.

  6. fiveloaf says:

    great limerick and fun! my potluck.. metamorphosis

  7. A woman was trying to write
    But all she came up with was shite
    It finally hit her
    To put it on Twitter
    For readers who aren’t too bright

  8. Jessica says:

    Very cleverly written. I ‘ve not seen a longer poem made up of the limerick style before!
    Here from Poetry Potluck.

    Home

  9. Laurie Kolp says:

    A woman was trying to write
    With her muse deadlocked in a fight
    They battled for hours
    Drained all brainpower
    ‘Til Zeus intervened on Twelfth Night

  10. bendedspoon says:

    A woman was trying to write
    But she couldn’t even spell right
    So she called her niece
    And beg in her knees
    Write to your uncle, I’m ending the fight
    :)

  11. A woman was trying to write.
    She stayed up in vain every night,
    But then in a dream,
    words came in a stream
    and finally her fancy took flight.

  12. Elaine Spall says:

    Al woman was trying to write
    But her words were all wrong, not alright
    So she flew in a rage
    Tossing words on a page
    And created a “wordsearch” that night

    *Her Dr. Is trying to find clues to her puzzling behaviour*

  13. Steve Vitoff says:

    A woman was trying to write
    But her syntax was not very tight
    Metaphors mangled
    Modifiers dangled
    And her rhetoric failed to excite

  14. Sally Franz says:

    A woman was trying to write
    her nails she started to bite
    she wasn’t to blame
    Twas always the same
    Insight ended ere the end was in sight

  15. Iwrite4u says:

    A woman was trying to write
    Sitting with a candle burning all night
    With dictionary on table
    Every single word she filled
    Just to be found asleep with all her might

  16. scott says:

    A woman was trying to write,
    was about to give up on the fight.
    When she invoked Dylan Thomas,
    and made a personal promise,
    to not go gentle into that good night.

  17. Hansi says:

    A fellow was trying to write
    When his head started getting a little light
    He was drooling with snot
    After smoking too much pot
    And found himself higher than a kite.

  18. Ina says:

    a woman was trying to write
    but it just didn’ t feel right
    the dishes not done
    inspiration was gone
    so instead she just read through the night

  19. Swisstoons says:

    A fellow was trying to write;
    Stayed up typing throughout the long night.
    But when sun-up came,
    What he’d writ was so lame
    Cried he, “This ain’t prose; this is SHITE?!?”

  20. thanks for linking,

    support by visiting a dozen entries from our collections.
    Happy Monday.

  21. madkane says:

    These limericks are just a delight. Please keep them coming. Thanks!

    And thanks for your kind words fiveloaf and Jessica. Jessica, I often write multiple verse limericks. They’re a fun challenge. I might be wrong, but I think this one (six verses) is my longest: Suitable Verse.

  22. Veralynne Pepper says:

    A lady was trying to write
    To get all her words proper–just right
    But they came out less corny
    The more she felt horny
    Now her book is a midnight delight

  23. Veralynne Pepper says:

    A woman was trying to write
    At Starbucks long into the night
    Too many ventes and treats
    Changed her style, mode and beats
    Romance turned to horror and fright

    When she finally dragged home to bed
    Awful visions were filling her head
    Hoping a few sleeping pills
    Would aid her insomniac ills
    She’d get right back on her writing sched.

    We know it doesn’t work that way
    Seeking an “easy way out” doesn’t pay
    Only moderate drugging
    Can help the brain’s de-bugging
    A little caffeine, booze and nicotine–that’s the way!

  24. Versebender says:

    A fellow was trying to write
    ‘Bout a diet he’d start some fine night
    But the more that he scribbled
    The more that he nibbled
    Now is belt is two notches too tight

  25. madkane says:

    I’m really enjoying these! Please keep them coming!

  26. Lee Magilow says:

    A fellow was trying to write
    On a deadline exceedingly tight.
    He thought it’s my choice,
    Either use my true voice,
    Or finish this project tonight.

  27. Khush says:

    A Woman was trying to write
    A limerick- for much needed respite
    Mad Kane’s blog did she visit,
    She thought- not that tough, is it?
    And wrote a good one using all her might!

  28. trisha says:

    just fantastic. loved it.

    trisha
    Free Soul

  29. Ina says:

    A woman was trying to write
    her husband just got a big freight
    he really felt sick
    it would be about his little nose
    so he simply turned off the light

    ;)

  30. madkane says:

    Oh good — more fun verse! Please keep your limericks coming. Thanks! And thanks Trisha for your kind words!

  31. Claudia says:

    ha – nice – enjoyed your “writer’s block” and the contributions in the comments

    a woman was trying to write
    and cuddled her black cat in spite
    who lay on the keyboard like a rock
    causing her writer’s block….

    smiles

  32. brian says:

    ha. those are a lot of fun…i like you commentary as well…i dont think i have ever written a limerick though i enjoy them…

  33. A fellow was trying to write,
    But his kitten put up a fight.
    It purred and meowed
    Until he kowtowed
    And petted it into the night.

    (I’m a writer, but my danged kitten is jealous and won’t leave me alone at the computer. It’s a horrible distraction! How do you say no to a lovable little kitten that cries for you and jumps up all the time?).

  34. so I can sympathize with Claudia.

  35. madkane says:

    I’m enjoying everyone’s verse and I appreciate your enthusiastic words. Thanks!

  36. Shashi says:

    Its a beautiful and fun…
    Thanks for sharing… Wanted to write one myself but some other time..

    ॐ नमः शिवाय
    Om Namah Shivaya
    Whispers Tanka
    Connect with me at Twitter @VerseEveryDay

  37. madkane says:

    Thanks Shashi!