Posts Tagged ‘January Holidays’
Saturday, July 5th, 2014
It’s Limerick-Off time, once again. 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.
The best submission will be crowned Limerick Of The Week. (Here’s last week’s Limerick Of The Week Winner.)
How will your poems be judged? By meter, rhyme, cleverness, and humor. (If you’re feeling a bit fuzzy about limerick writing rules, here’s my How To Write A Limerick article.)
I’ll announce the Limerick of the Week Winner next Sunday, right before I post next week’s Limerick-Off. So that gives you a full week to submit your clever, polished verse. Your submission deadline is Saturday at 10:00 p.m. (Eastern Time.)
I hope you’ll join me in writing a limerick with this first line:
A fellow was wielding his drill…*
or
A teacher was trying to drill…*
or
The experienced clerk knew the drill…*
or
A fellow had loaned out his drill…*
*(Please note that minor variations to my first lines are acceptable. However, rhyme words may not be altered, except by using homonyms or homophones.)
Here’s my limerick:
Limerick Drill
By Madeleine Begun Kane
As the dentist was wielding his drill,
He yelled at his patient, “Sit still!”
Then he bellowed with gravity,
“God-awful cavity!
It’s nearly as large as my bill.”
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 on my Facebook Limerick-Off post.
To receive an email alert whenever I post a new Limerick-Off, please email Madkane@MadKane.com Subject: MadKane’s Newsletter. Thanks!
UPDATE: On January 26 we celebrate the anniversary of George Green’s 1875 electric dental drill patent. Okay … perhaps “celebrate” is the wrong word.
Tags: Cavity Humor, Competition Limerick, Dentist Drill, Dentist Humor, Dentistry, George Green, Inventions Humor, January Holidays, Limerick Challenge, Limerick Contest, Odd Holidays, Patent Humor, Poetry & Prompts, Writing Prompts
Posted in Behavior & Personality, Contests, Inventions Humor, Limerick & Haiku Prompts, Limerick Competition, Limerick Contest, Limerick Writing Contest, Limerick-Offs, Limericks, Odd Holidays, Poetry & Prompts, Poetry Contest | 77 Comments »
Thursday, January 16th, 2014
This limerick seems appropriate for International Hot & Spicy Food Day. (January 16)
Hot & Spicy Couple (Limerick)
By Madeleine Begun Kane
Whenever we’re ordering food,
We’re likely to be in the mood
For dishes quite spicy.
We hate to hear, “Dicey!
Our chef is a trifle unglued.”
Note: Mark and I love hot and spicy food. And most chefs will accommodate us, once we convince them that we don’t mean merely “American spicy.” But sometimes we’re warned that the chef is a prima donna who takes “extra spicy” requests as a personal affront.
And while this is most likely to happen when the chef’s French, I still vividly recall this Manhattan Mexican restaurant incident: The waitress said, “Don’t ask for ‘extra spicy,’ or the chef will punish you.”
We ignored her and, alas, she was right.
UPDATE: June 10th is National Herbs And Spices Day.
Tags: Food Limerick, International Hot & Spicy Food Day, January Holidays, June Holidays, National Herbs And Spices Day, Odd Holidays, Spices Humor, Spicy Food
Posted in Food & Drink Humor, Limericks, Odd Holidays | Comments Off on Hot & Spicy Couple
Tuesday, January 14th, 2014
Thanks to my friend Fred Bortz, who bugged inspired me to write a limerick celebrating National Hot Pastrami Sandwich Day:
Something Wry For Pastrami Day
By Madeleine Begun Kane
It’s Pastrami Day, so I’ve been told.
Hot on rye, spread with mustard it’s sold.
Though it’s seasoned and smoked,
I simply ain’t toked
By its flavor. It just leaves me cold.
Tags: Food Humor, January Holidays, National Hot Pastrami Sandwich Day, Odd Holidays, Pastrami Limerick
Posted in Food & Drink Humor, Limericks, Odd Holidays | 8 Comments »
Thursday, January 9th, 2014
Here’s my two-verse quatrain poem, in honor of Peculiar People Day. (January 10)
Ode To Peculiar People
By Madeleine Begun Kane
My peculiar predilection:
I like people who are odd.
I’ll applaud a little strangeness,
But find “normal” humans flawed.
That makes perfect sense: they tell me
I am rather “weird” myself.
I don’t mind critiques and putdowns—
Just don’t call me “off the shelf.”
Tags: Behavior Humor, January Holidays, Odd Holidays, Peculiar People Day, Quatrain Humor, Quatrains
Posted in Behavior & Personality, Odd Holidays, Quatrains Humor | 20 Comments »
Tuesday, January 7th, 2014
Cold and Bothered (Quatrain)
By Madeleine Begun Kane
I live in a town where it’s pleasant to stroll.
We do most of our errands on foot.
But it’s frightfully cold. “Let’s stay home,” I cajole.
Forget milk! Let’s be smart and stay put.
(January 11 is National Milk Day.)
Tags: Bayside, Errands Humor, Exercise, Food Verse, January Holidays, Milk Day, Milk Humor, Milk Limerick, New York City Verse, Odd Holidays, Quatrain Humor, Seasonal Humor, Seasonal Verse, Shopping Verse, Walking Poetry, Weather Poem, Winter Humor
Posted in Exercise Humor, Food & Drink Humor, Limericks, New York Limericks & Haiku, Odd Holidays, Quatrains Humor, Seasons Humor, Shopping Humor, Walking Humor, Weather Humor | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, January 1st, 2014
Resolution Disclaimer (Limerick)
By Madeleine Begun Kane
Resolutions ain’t sticky, I fear,
Be it sugar, tobacco or beer.
If you’ve broken that pledge,
Please don’t be on edge.
No worries! There’s always NEXT year.
Tags: December Holidays, Holiday Limericks, Holiday Poetry, January Holidays, New Year's Humor, New Year's Poem, New Year's Resolutions Humor, New Year's Resolutions Verse
Posted in Holiday Humor, Limericks | 1 Comment »
Tuesday, June 4th, 2013
Happy National Cheese Day! (June 4th)
Cheesy Limerick
By Madeleine Begun Kane
A man with a weakness for cheese
Ate some brie and then started to wheeze.
He refused to admit
‘Twas an allergy fit.
His autopsy-doc disagrees.
Note: There’s also a National Cheese Lover’s Day, which is celebrated on January 20th.
Tags: Allergy Humor, Autopsy Humor, Brie, Cheese Humor, Cheese Limerick, Death Limerick, Food Humor, Food Verse, Health Limericks, January Holidays, June Holidays, National Cheese Day, National Cheese Lover's Day, Odd Holidays
Posted in Food & Drink Humor, Health & Medical Humor, Health Verse, Limericks, Odd Holidays | 9 Comments »
Tuesday, January 29th, 2013
So, is everyone ready for National Escape Day (January 30th)? I didn’t think so.
Here’s a limerick to celebrate, although I’m pretty sure this isn’t the sort of “escape” the holiday founders had in mind:
No Escape (Limerick)
By Madeleine Begun Kane
A felon was trying to run,
But his plan to escape was undone:
He tripped and he fell,
Tumbling into a well.
Never run while you’re under the gun.
Tags: Crime & Punishment Humor, Escape Limerick, Felon, January Holidays, National Escape Day, Odd Holidays, Trip & Fall Limerick, Under The Gun
Posted in Crime & Punishment Humor, Limericks, Odd Holidays | 4 Comments »
Wednesday, January 23rd, 2013
When I wrote my Pie-Eyed Limerick for National Pie Day, I mentioned that I happen to hate pie. This seemed to shock several Facebook friends, who demanded an explanation. Here it is:
Yet Another Pie Limerick
By Madeleine Begun Kane
For those who keep asking me why
I’ve a deep-set aversion to pie,
My antipathy’s based
On its texture and taste.
Change my mind? Sorry, pie in the sky!
Tags: Celebrations Poetry, Food Humor, January Holidays, National Pie Day, Odd Holidays, Pie Limerick
Posted in Celebrations Poetry, Food & Drink Humor, Limericks, Odd Holidays | 5 Comments »
Tuesday, January 22nd, 2013
So, is everyone ready for National Pie Day? It’s celebrated every year on January 23rd. Warning: Do NOT confuse it with Pi Day, which is celebrated annually on March 14th.
I actually hate pie. (Now a good chocolate brownie is another story altogether.) But I wouldn’t let my pie-aversion get in the way of a limerick:
Pie-Eyed Limerick
By Madeleine Begun Kane
“Two holidays often confused
Are Pi Day and Pie Day,” he mused.
“One’s for math-hungry dudes
And dudettes. One’s for foods.
For the former, I need to be boozed.”
Tags: Arithmetic, Celebrations Poetry, Food Humor, January Holidays, March Holidays, Math Humor, Mathematics Poem, National Pie Day, Odd Holidays, Pi, Pi Day, Pie Limerick
Posted in Celebrations Poetry, Food & Drink Humor, Limericks, Odd Holidays | 2 Comments »
Tuesday, December 18th, 2012
Curmudgeonly Limerick
By Madeleine Begun Kane
A curmudgeon was in a foul mood —
Even worse than his usual tude.
So his concert review
Read in bold letters, “BOO!”
He was paid by the word … so not shrewd.
UPDATE: January 29 is Curmudgeons Day.
Tags: Behavior Humor, Curmudgeons, Curmudgeons Day, January Holidays, Music Humor & Verse, Odd Holidays, Reviews, Writing & Publishing Humor
Posted in Behavior & Personality, Limericks, Music Humor & Verse, Music Reviews, Odd Holidays, Writing & Publishing Humor | 4 Comments »
Wednesday, August 24th, 2011
I lie in my bed,
coaxing my brain to adapt
and glide into sleep.
*****
Insomnia strikes
when I’m at my most weary—
tired irony.
*****
My lullaby verse—
I knew I should write it down—
now it’s lost to sleep.
*****
My thoughts skip around
like out-of-control children—
scaring sleep away.
*****
You can read my How To Become An Insomniac (Humorous How-To) here.
(My first haiku was inspired by Three Word Wednesday’s “adapt, glide, lie” prompt. My second haiku was inspired by Sensational Haiku Wednesday’s “weary” prompt.
Update: Happy Festival Of Sleep Day!
View my insomnia haiku image here.
Tags: Festival of Sleep Day, Haiku & Senryu, Haiku Images, Insomnia Verse, January Holidays, Odd Holidays, Sleep Poetry, Writing & Publishing Humor
Posted in Haiku & Senryu, Health & Medical Humor, Health Verse, Odd Holidays, Sleep & Insomnia Humor, Writing & Publishing Humor | 24 Comments »
Thursday, August 18th, 2011
In late March I wrote some verse about our squirrel problem. More specifically, a squirrel that likes snoozing in my upstairs window sill under the AC.
As you can tell from my tanka and limerick, the brazen squirrel refused to be scared off. Sure, it would leave for a while. But just when I thought my squirrel was gone for good, there she was again in my window sill, kept outside only by a thin piece of plexiglass.
Well, guess who had babies:
Methinks it’s time for another squirrely limerick:
Squirrely Limerick
By Madeleine Begun Kane
A squirrel gave birth on my sill—
Near my window AC unit’s grill.
Each miniscule pup
(Five in all — two floors up)
Born an inch from my nose — chilling thrill.
Thanks to hubby Mark for snapping that photo.
UPDATE: Happy Squirrel Appreciation Day, January 21st!
Tags: Air Conditioning Humor, Animal Verse, House & Home, January Holidays, Odd Holidays, Squirrel Appreciation Day, Squirrel Humor, Squirrel Poem, Squirrel Reproduction, Vermin
Posted in Animal & Pet Humor, Anxiety & Stress, House & Home Humor, Limericks, Odd Holidays, Outdoors Humor | 16 Comments »
Wednesday, March 30th, 2011
From time to time, sundry animals (squirrels, raccoons) find our New York City home alluring. While these incidents provide great fodder for poetry and prose, I could live without them. If only…
Our latest animal invasion involves a stubborn squirrel who has taken up residence in an upstairs window AC — the AC that cools my tiny writing-room. Consequently, Mrs. Squirrel (I fear it’s a she) has become a constant companion.
The good news is that our squirrel nuisance has given birth to two poems — a limerick and a tanka. Both poems were also inspired by Big Tent’s prompt to write about being scared of an animal. (I’m more annoyed than scared, but close enough.)
The limerick pretty much wrote itself, but the tanka was a bigger challenge. Why? Because I felt compelled to use the three words (loud, persuasive, riches) dictated by today’s Three Word Wednesday prompt.
First, my limerick:
Dear Squirrel
By Madeleine Begun Kane
Squatter-squirrel, please scat — go away.
This is my house — no wildlife! Okay?
And stop building that nest
In my AC, you pest!
It isn’t a squirrel chalet.
And now my tanka:
Loud screams and clamor
unpersuasive to squirrel,
planting nest riches
under my window AC,
her womb, I fear, rich with life.
(Also posted at I Saw Sunday and Write A Letter Wednesday, which asks for letters to a pet. Once again … close enough.)
Author’s Note: You can find more of my animal humor here and my squirrel humor and verse here.
UPDATE: Happy Squirrel Appreciation Day, January 21st!
Tags: Air Conditioning Humor, Animal Poetry, Animal Verse, Big Tent Poetry, House & Home, January Holidays, New York City Verse, Nuisances, Odd Holidays, Squirrel Appreciation Day, Squirrel Humor, Tanka, Three Word Wednesday, Wildlife Humor, Window Poems
Posted in Animal & Pet Humor, House & Home Humor, Limericks, Odd Holidays, Tanka | 31 Comments »
Monday, May 24th, 2010
I hope you’ll join me in writing a limerick with this first line:
A hard-working fellow named Zeke…
Here’s mine:
Nerdy Limerick
By Madeleine Begun Kane
A hard-working fellow named Zeke
Was thought of as rather a geek.
His tech expertise
Brought most to their knees.
But small talk? To Zeke it was Greek.
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 Limerick-Offs.
UPDATE: Happy International Programmers’ Day, January 7th!
And happy Geek Pride Day, May 25th!
Tags: Communication Humor, Geek Pride Day, Geeks, International Programmers' Day, January Holidays, May Holidays, Nerds, Poetry & Prompts, Techie Humor, Technology Limerick, Writing Prompts
Posted in Behavior & Personality, Communication Humor, Computer Humor, Limerick & Haiku Prompts, Limerick-Offs, Limericks, Odd Holidays, Poetry & Prompts, Technology Humor, Workplace & Career Humor | 14 Comments »
Friday, May 9th, 2008
The Outgoing Message I’d love To (But Probably Shouldn’t) Leave On My Answering Machine
By Madeleine Begun Kane
Your party can’t come to the phone.
She’s at lunch or home sick. Please don’t moan.
Leave a message, or not.
I don’t care — I’m a bot.
But my owner says, “Leave me alone!”
(For more phone-related verse, visit Sunday Scribblings.)
UPDATE: Happy National Inane Answering Machine Message Day! (January 30th)
UPDATE 2: April 25 is National Telephone Day.
Tags: Answering Machine Limerick, April Holidays, Business Poem, January Holidays, National Inane Answering Machine Message Day, National Telephone Day, Odd Holidays, Outgoing Messages, Phone Humor, Telephone Day, Telephone Verse, Voicemail Humor, Workplace Poetry
Posted in Business Humor, Communication Humor, Computer Humor, Limericks, Odd Holidays, Social Satire, Technology Humor, Telephone Humor, Workplace & Career Humor | 6 Comments »
Wednesday, January 2nd, 2008
Ode To A Greedy Squirrel
By Madeleine Begun Kane
A squirrel who wanted some food
Did something I’d call rather rude:
He squeezed into a cage,
Ate the bird feed — not sage.
Now his tummy’s too fat to extrude.
Note: This limerick is based on a British news story about a greedy squirrel that squeezed through the bars of a “squirrel-proof” bird feeder and “gorged on so many nuts it could not squeeze back out through the bars.” The squirrel remained trapped inside, until an RSPCA Inspector used a crow-bar and grasper to widen the gap between two of the bars.
(You can find more of my pet and animal humor here and you’ll find more animal related poetry here.)
UPDATE: Happy Squirrel Appreciation Day, January 21st!
Tags: Animal Poetry, Animal Verse, Birds, Greed Humor, January Holidays, Nuisances, Odd Holidays, Squirrel Appreciation Day, Squirrel Humor, Wildlife Humor
Posted in Animal & Pet Humor, Food & Drink Humor, Limericks, Odd Holidays, Outdoors Humor | 3 Comments »
Friday, April 20th, 2007
Early in our marriage, my husband Mark worked as a computer programmer and was on over-night call:
Sleepless In Geekdom
By Madeleine Begun Kane
My husband’s a super-smart geek
Who’s on overnight call once a week.
And those questions they pose
After wrecking our doze
Sound, to me, much like Latin or Greek.
UPDATE: Happy International Programmers’ Day, January 7th!
And happy Geek Pride Day, May 25th!
Tags: Computer Satire, Geek Humor, Geek Pride Day, Husband Wife Humor, Insomnia Humor, International Programmers' Day, January Holidays, Marriage Satire, May Holidays, On Call, Sleeplessness, Technology Satire
Posted in Computer Humor, Limericks, Marriage Humor, Odd Holidays, Sleep & Insomnia Humor, Technology Humor, Workplace & Career Humor | 4 Comments »
