Archive for the ‘Celebrations Poetry’ Category
Sunday, September 26th, 2010
Somehow I managed to miss National Punctuation Day on Sept 24th. “Shame on me!”
Oh my — I just used an exclamation point! And I did it again!
As you can tell from my limerick, I’m not a big fan of the exclamation point, a/k/a the bang.
STOP YELLING!!!!!!!!!!!! (Limerick)
By Madeleine Begun Kane
Those points that are meant to exclaim
Often bug me. Yes, bangs seem quite lame.
I abuse them, at times,
When excited by rhymes!!!!
But usage that’s spare is my aim.
By the way, it isn’t too late to celebrate National Punctuation Day: NationalPunctuationDay.com is doing it with a punctuation-related haiku contest. (The deadline is September 30th.)
And speaking of contests, the Washington Post is hosting another limerick competition. (As I mentioned previously, I got an honorable mention in their last one.)
Anyway, the Washington Post’s latest limerick contest sounds like a lot of fun. Much like my Limerick-Offs, WP provides limerick lines. However, the WP contest is definitely harder than mine: I provide A-rhyme first lines, while the WP contest offers us B-rhyme lines.
The Washington Post contest deadline is October 4th. Good luck!
Tags: Bangs, Contests, Exclamation Marks, Grammar Humor, Language Satire, National Punctuation Day, Poetry Contest, Punctuation Humor, September Holidays, Style Invitational, Washington Post Limerick Contest, Writing & Publishing Humor
Posted in Celebrations Poetry, Communication Humor, Contests, Holiday Humor, Language Humor, Limericks, Writing & Publishing Humor | 1 Comment »
Sunday, July 4th, 2010
If you enjoy Shakespeare performed beautifully in a magnificent setting, don’t miss the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival at the Boscobel Restoration in Garrison, New York.
Troilus and Cressida opened July 3rd, and it was terrific.
We started the evening with a delightful picnic on Boscobel’s Hudson River grounds, then moved into the tent for an inventive performance of the baudy, Trojan tale.
Things got even more unusual in the Second Act, which began with a quirky, yet oddly fitting musical number. After the music, the audience members were welcomed to leave their seats temporarily, walk down to the Hudson River, and view the holiday fireworks display that was about to take place across the river at West Point.
Once the fireworks were over, we returned to our seats and the play continued. What fun!
And that brings me to my latest limerick:
Like Shakespeare performed in a tent?
Then see Troilus — it’s time quite well spent:
At the Boscobel joint—
Straight across from West Point.
Please don’t miss it — you’ll surely repent.
Tags: Boscobel, Fireworks, Hudson River, Hudson Valley, Leisure Time Humor, Literature, Movie & Play Humor, Outdoors, Theater Humor, Troilus And Cressida Review, West Point, William Shakespeare
Posted in Authors & Playwrights, Celebrations Poetry, Entertaining New Yorkers, Holiday Humor, Leisure Time Humor, Limericks, Movie & Play Humor, New York Limericks & Haiku, Night On The Town, Outdoors Humor, Recreation & Fun Humor, Theater Reviews, Travel Humor, Vacation Humor | 3 Comments »
Saturday, June 5th, 2010
My husband Mark and I had a wonderful time celebrating our 32nd wedding anniversary on Friday, June 4th in Manhattan. We saw a Broadway play — Ken Ludwig’s hilarious Lend Me A Tenor, which was directed by Stanley Tucci. (There’s more about the play in my two-verse limerick.) We also dined at Nocello and enjoyed attempting to dance the rumba at the Marriott Marquis’ Broadway Lounge.
And now, my limerick:
The Tenor Of Our Anniversary
By Madeleine Begun Kane
Hubby Mark and I partied last night.
(It’s been thirty-two years of delight.)
Saw a great Broadway play.
What a heavenly way
To celebrate marriage just right!
Shaloub and LaPaglia star.
(Both are Tony’s — you know who they are.)
Justin Bartha stars too.
We kept laughing on cue
At Lend Me A Tenor. Har, har!
Tags: Broadway Comedy, Holiday Poetry, Husband Wife Humor, June Holidays, Justin Bartha, Ken Ludwig, Lend Me A Tenor, New York City Verse, Stanley Tucci, Theater Review, Tony LaPaglia, Tony Shaloub, Wedding Anniversary Limerick
Posted in Celebrations Poetry, Celebrity Humor, Entertaining New Yorkers, Holiday Humor, Leisure Time Humor, Limericks, Marriage Humor, New York Limericks & Haiku, Night On The Town, Personal, Public Figures, Theater Reviews | 4 Comments »
Tuesday, April 13th, 2010
My humorist pal Felice Prager had a birthday recently and, thanks to Facebook reminders, was receiving an extra large slew of birthday greetings. When she responded to mine, she joked about writing a limerick starting with the line: “The girl who said thank you a lot …” So of course, I did:
Limerick Of Manners
By Madeleine Begun Kane
The girl who said thank you a lot
Sure wanted to stop, but could not,
Cuz she knew it ain’t right
To stop acting polite.
So she purchased a thanks-giving bot.
Tags: Birthday Greetings Humor, Computer Verse, Politeness, Technology Limerick, Thank You Humor
Posted in Birthday Verse, Celebrations Poetry, Computer Humor, Facebook Humor, Holiday Humor, Limericks, Robot Humor, Technology Humor | 5 Comments »
Sunday, March 14th, 2010
Are you as sick as I am of our twice-yearly clock-adjustment ritual? Do you think, as I do, that we have more than enough daylight and that there’s no need to save any?
I’m sorry, but my internal clock is sufficiently confused and doesn’t need Daylight Savings Time to make my chronic insomnia even worse. And I’m inclined to clock the next person who reminds me to change my damn clocks.
Save Me From Daylight Savings Time (Limerick)
By Madeleine Begun Kane
My natural clock is a mess.
Just thinking of sleep gives me stress.
Spring forward—fall back
Makes me more out of whack.
So I don’t change my clocks — I just guess.
(More DST humor here.)
Tags: Clocks Limerick, Daylight Savings Time, DST Humor, Holiday Poetry, Insomnia Humor, March Holidays, Standard Time, Time Humor, Time Verse
Posted in Anxiety & Stress, Behavior & Personality, Celebrations Poetry, Health & Medical Humor, Health Verse, Holiday Humor, Limericks, Mental Health Humor, Seasons Humor, Sleep & Insomnia Humor, Time Humor | 4 Comments »
Monday, January 11th, 2010
Some men send their wives Hallmark greeting cards. Then there’s Dick Kleis of Zwingle, Iowa, who got a bit more “creative” on his wife Carole’s birthday. He spent three hours spelling out a huge love note in 120,000 pounds of “good, soft, gushy, warm” manure. And proving that there’s no accounting for taste, his wife actually liked it, saying her hubby “dung good”.
Attention, dear hubby Mark … and any other man who might be inspired by this story on a birthday, anniversary, or Valentine’s Day: Don’t even think about it!
And that brings me to my latest limerick:
How To Muck Up Gift-Giving
By Madeleine Begun Kane
Dear hubby, I’d really be miffed
If you gave me manure as a gift.
Now I don’t expect plush
If you ain’t feeling flush.
But dung? Sweet revenge will be swift.
Tags: Carole Kleis, Dick Kleis, Gift Humor, Greeting Cards Verse, Love Notes, Manure Humor, Spousal Humor, Zwingle Iowa
Posted in Battle of the Sexes, Birthday Verse, Celebrations Poetry, Family & Relatives Humor, Family Verse, Gift Giving Humor, Holiday Humor, Letter Limericks, Limericks, Marriage Humor, Money & Finance Humor, Relationship Humor, Weird News Snark | 9 Comments »
Thursday, February 5th, 2009
Valentine’s Day is coming up — an ideal topic for my very overdue limerick and a haiku (senryu) prompt. First, my limerick:
St. Valentine’s Day’s coming soon.
It’s a choc’late and rose-sellers’ boon.
Will your loved one come through
And make festive ado?
Or just buy you a five-buck balloon?
And now my haiku (senryu):
St. Valentine’s Day—
One day each February?
No. Daily each year.
Now, of course, it’s your turn. Your assignment, should you choose to accept it, is to write some verse about Valentine’s Day. When you’ve posted your poem(s), please return here and add a direct link to your themed poetry, using Mr. Linky. And please post a comment as well.
(For more Valentine’s Day cheer, my Valiant Guy’s Guide to Valentine’s Day humor column is here.)
Tags: Balloons, Candy, Chocolate, February, February Holidays, Flowers, Gifts, Haiku & Senryu, Holiday, Limerick, Love, Poetry Prompt, Romance, Senryu, Valentine Day's Humor, Valentine's Day
Posted in Advice Humor & Poems, Battle of the Sexes, Celebrations Poetry, Food & Drink Humor, Haiku & Senryu, Holiday Humor, Limerick & Haiku Prompts, Limericks, Relationship Humor, Romance Humor, Shopping Humor | 20 Comments »
Friday, December 28th, 2007
Sorry for the late post! My father’s very ill, and I’ve been traveling between New York and North Carolina.
Today’s limerick and haiku themes are wine and spirits or the New Year or, if you prefer, both. Here’s my wine and spirits limerick:
The bartender offered cheap brandy.
“No fine cognac?” I whined—wasn’t handy.
So I had to decline,
Mulled and ordered dry wine—
Told the barkeep, “Your cab tastes like candy!”
Here’s a wine snob haiku, the first of today’s two haiku:
Decant, sniff, sip, spit—
Wine connoisseur’s ritual.
I’d rather just drink.
And here’s a haiku that combines both themes:
Champagne bubbles dance.
Spirited revelers toast.
A new year’s welcomed.
Your assignment, should you choose to accept it, is to write a limerick or haiku (or both) about today’s theme(s). When you’ve posted your verse, please return here and add a direct link to your themed poetry.
(If you need some tips on limerick or haiku writing, I link to some helpful sites here. And you can find my New Year’s Resolutions humor here.)
Tags: Brandy Humor, champagne, Cognac Humor, December Holidays, New Year's Humor, wine and spirits, Wine Snobs
Posted in Celebrations Poetry, Food & Drink Humor, Haiku & Senryu, Holiday Humor, Limerick & Haiku Prompts, Limericks, Poetry & Prompts | 6 Comments »
Tuesday, November 27th, 2007
I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving! And now that Thanksgiving’s over, have you finished shopping for holiday gifts yet? And braced yourself for your office Christmas party? And how’s that list of New Year’s resolutions coming?
Aren’t holidays fun?
But getting back to the world of poetry, Totally Optional Prompts has asked for animal poems. So here’s a very short one:
My parents’ poodle—
Their beloved pet,
The grandchild I denied them.
For a much lighter look at the same subject, here’s my humorous essay called A Poodle Tale.
Last, but not least, I’ve just start creating short humor videos starring — you guessed it — moi! So if you get a chance please check out My Family Needs Me on my other blog.
Tags: Holiday Verse, Pet Poems, Poodle Humor
Posted in Animal & Pet Humor, Celebrations Poetry, Family & Relatives Humor, Holiday Humor, Seasons Humor | 10 Comments »
Monday, October 15th, 2007
Did you know that tomorrow, October 16th, is National Boss Day? So, are you excited yet?
I thought I’d “celebrate” National Boss Day with a pair of limericks:
Workplace Diplomacy Blues
By Madeleine Begun Kane
Please mind your own business, I said,
To a woman whose presence I dread.
She is pushy and rude,
Rather nosy and crude.
Even worse—she’s the gal my boss wed.
A Brief Beef
By Madeleine Begun Kane
My boss yelled, “I’ve got a big beef:
Your briefings are seldom … well … brief.
I want the essentials.
You give me tangentials.”
“So long,” I replied, with relief.
(You can find my National Bosses Day limerick here and more of my employment humor here.)
Tags: Boss Humor, Briefings Humor, National Boss Day, October Holidays, Odd Holidays, Work Humor, Workplace Diplomacy
Posted in Business Humor, Celebrations Poetry, Holiday Humor, Limericks, Workplace & Career Humor | 2 Comments »
Monday, October 8th, 2007
Here’s an oddball byproduct of global warming: New York State Park officials reopened Long Island beaches for swimming this Columbus Day weekend because of unseasonably warm temperatures.
For the first time in more than three decades, beaches on Long Island will be open for swimming in October.
It’s because of this unseasonably warm weather. The average high in October is 64 degrees. Friday’s high was 86!
So you could swim as if it were July, celebrate Columbus Day, and shop for Halloween decorations all on the same afternoon.
And speaking of Halloween, it seems that adults have stolen it from their kids.
One sign of just how much Halloween has changed and can change is the relatively rapid development of it from a children’s holiday into a largely adult holiday. Adults are spending more and more on Halloween costumes, favors, and parties. Children’s celebrations have been curtailed and eclipsed. …
And that cries out for a limerick:
Hijacking Halloween
By Madeleine Begun Kane
The holiday called Halloween
Has been hijacked by grownups. How mean!
In their masks, adults stroll,
Looking scary or droll—
Some in garb that would best suit a teen.
(You can find more of my holiday humor here.)
Tags: Columbus Day, Halloween Humor, Holiday Weekend, Long Island, New York Beaches, October Holidays, Swimming
Posted in Celebrations Poetry, Holiday Humor, Leisure Time Humor, Limericks | 2 Comments »
Saturday, June 16th, 2007
Married To Money
By Madeleine Begun Kane
He’s a cheapskate, so stingy with cash,
That he threw an embarrassing bash:
When his daughter was wed
He paid eight bucks a head,
So no band, booze, or blooms — only hash.
I have lots more money humor here. And don’t forget to enter my money-themed limerick contest with money prizes. Okay, not a lot of money, but still…
Tags: Cheapskate Humor, Family & Relatives Humor, Marriage Limerick, Parenting, Stinginess, Wedding Limerick
Posted in Behavior & Personality, Celebrations Poetry, Children Humor, Family & Relatives Humor, Food & Drink Humor, Limericks, Marriage Humor, Money & Finance Humor, Mothers & Fathers Humor, Relationship Humor | 3 Comments »
Monday, June 4th, 2007
My wonderful husband Mark and I are celebrating our 29th wedding anniversary today. Happy anniversary Mark! This limerick is my gift to you. (How’s that for getting off cheap?)
Chance Meeting (Wedding Anniversary Limerick)
By Madeleine Begun Kane
Our encounter took place on a train—
A chance meeting, though far from mundane:
A lucky converging,
With love soon emerging—
Once strangers, now wedded-bliss twain.
Tags: Chance Meeting, Husband Wife Limerick, LIRR, Long Island Rail Road, Love Limerick, Marriage Limerick, Train, Wedded Bliss, Wedding Anniversary Limerick
Posted in Celebrations Poetry, Commuting Verse, Family & Relatives Humor, Limericks, Marriage Humor, Personal | 34 Comments »
