Welcome to Poetic Limericks
Poetic Verse Written in the Limerick Style
The contents of these pages ©2000 to 2007, by Joel D. Ash
Index to this Page
What are
Poetic Limericks?
Sample poems on this page
About my first hardcover book
"Potpourri of the Mind"
...rated 5-star by Amazon.com!
The online version of
"Potpourri of the Mind", published on this website March 1, 2000.
My second hardcover book
"A Sojourn in Limerick"
, a matching set with "Potpourri".
My first online book
"The Green Heart"
, Dartmouth poems published on this site 1-1-2000.
Another online book "Surroundings", poems focused on the natural world around us.
My latest online book "ASPECTS OF LOVE AND DESIRE"
Poetic Limericks inspired by romantic visions and a touch of the erotic.
Take a
tour of my poems
Contacting me and signing my
Comments Page
Own a beautifully
printed edition of either of my hardcover
books. Here's how to order!
Poetic Limericks, not your ordinary limerick!
Poetic Limericks are genuine poetry written in the
limerick style. My poems, like limericks, use a distinctive rhyming
scheme of a-a-b-b-a in which the first, second, and
fifth lines of each stanza rhyme as do the third and
fourth lines. My poetic limericks also utilize the unique
limerick meter.
However, that's where the similarity ends! Whereas
standard limericks are usually humorous and often
off-color or downright crude, Poetic Limericks span
a broad range of subject matter and, using words as
an art form, employ literary devices found in more
traditional forms of poetry.
My Work
To date, I have written over 550 POETIC LIMERICKS.
You'll find poems here about art, love, time travel,
history, nature, magic, etc. Of course, I also have
written many humorous poems as well! Most of my poems
run five or six stanzas in length but one has
developed into an epic poem of over one hundred
stanzas! You can see that poem entitled "Honor Roll" on this website by going to the links below.
As far as I know, very few people have written genuine
poetry using the limerick style,
perhaps due to the difficulty in making use of this
complex rhyming pattern and meter. The same could be said for
most structured rhyming poetry. The sonnet form with 14 lines,
iambic-pentameter meter, and an a-b-b-a rhyme scheme is
seldom encountered in modern poetry. Alas, poor Shakespeare!
My first hardcover book published in November 1997, POTPOURRI
OF THE MIND, contains eighty Poetic Limericks. My
second hardcover book, A SOJOURN IN LIMERICK, was published in
June 1999. It also has eighty poems, mostly new ones,
including a number which have been honored in various
ways.
The format for my online books is very different from that of the hardcover editions!
On January 1, 2000 I published my first online book, a collection of Dartmouth poems entitled THE GREEN HEART. This was followed by SURROUNDINGS in April 2000, a collection of poems focused on the beauty of nature and the natural world around us. The format for these efforts
contains 40 Poetic Limericks along with extensive accompanying
photos designed to enhance the poetic impact. Click here if you would like to see the beginning
of either of these online books, the Table of Contents, and the first few poems
without incurring any
cost ...
THE GREEN HEART
SURROUNDINGS
ASPECTS OF LOVE AND DESIRE
If you prefer to skip these options for now, just move on to see
a few sample poems.
Two Sample Poems
The first sample poem is from page 71 of
POTPOURRI OF THE MIND.
THE TIME MACHINE
There's a time machine inside your mind,
To this time and space not confined;
Return to the past,
Destinations are vast,
Or fast forward to see what you find.
Re-experience moments you prized,
The delights of your life scrutinized;
Scenic beauty recaptured,
Again you're enraptured,
In your time machine all this reprised.
Full control of your life with your brain,
See things that no longer remain;
Events can be changed,
Some results rearranged,
You can be a young child once again.
Plan a trip to before you were born,
See the Earth on the very first morn;
No borders for nations,
No thought limitations,
Imagine the perfect sojourn.
Why not create a past life or two?
There is nothing your mind cannot do;
Dream up some dreams,
Go to any extremes,
Climb a mountain peak near Kathmandu.
On the trips to the future take care,
You may not like what you see there;
Be aware if you venture,
I don't want your censure,
The world will be different - - beware!
Copyright 1997 by Joel D. Ash - - All Rights Reserved
In January 2001, one of my Dartmouth classmates visited the site and left a comment that it would be nice if one could hear me reciting one or more of my poems. At the time, I did not have the capabilities necessary to accomplish that. Now I do, and you can hear me reciting a slightly shortened version of The Time Machine. The sound file in MP3 format is 231 KB in size and the play time for the recitation is one minute and 18 seconds. It takes a minute or so to download. If you would like to hear me reading, please click here ...
Download the 231 KB file with My reading of The Time Machine
The next sample poem entitled BOOK BURNERS is not in
either of my published books, but it certainly will be featured in a
future one. This poem, which received an
HONORABLE MENTION in the Illiad Press Literary Awards
contest for the Spring of 1999, has also been selected to receive The President's Award for Literary Excellence 2000 issued by the President of the National Authors Registry.
BOOK BURNERS
Save us all from restraint of expression,
Dark clouds raining down mind suppression;
The Nazis now loosed,
Evil thugs rule the roost,
It's a time with the world in regression.
They come in the black of the night,
The jackboots and killers of light;
In search of man's thought,
List of works by them sought,
Frightening time of the book burning blight.
The volumes consigned to the flames,
Sigmund Freud and Remarque, famous names;
Ideas set to torch,
Burning words that they scorch,
Death to books that the state now proclaims.
The writers themselves follow soon,
Raging fire that blackens high noon;
Each one in their turn,
Cattle herded to burn,
Cremated by day and pale moon.
Worldwide host rising up in dissent,
Sad destruction they have to prevent;
A war must be fought,
Lessons cry to be taught,
With remembrance of what it all meant.
When creation of thought is curtailed,
The freedom of man is assailed;
The Allied might needed,
And D-day succeeded,
Give thanks that the righteous prevailed.
Copyright 1999 by Joel D. Ash - - All Rights Reserved
Take a Tour of Poetic Limericks!
To sample some additional poems, be sure to visit
the other parts of my website via the links below:
About my first book, POTPOURRI OF THE MIND
This first book, published in the fall of 1997,contains
80 poems on many subjects, including a few appearing
on these Web pages.
As you can see, it's a handsome, hardcover edition.
I, of course, encourage you to purchase
a copy. The expenditure will bring you hours of
poetic enjoyment
and bring me a little money to help publish future
books!
Want to know more? Click here for...
Ordering POTPOURRI OF THE MIND
is easy and it will be whisked
to your doorstep!
- Here's how to get a copy!
Hurry! There are a limited
number of first editions left!
- The book is also available at both Amazon.com and
BarnesandNoble.com! Here is the Old Pine Books Ordering Catalog which includes links to both Amazon and BarnesandNoble .... Catalog
- An online version of POTPOURRI OF THE MIND was published on this website as of March 1, 2000. This new way to publish provides yet another means to enjoy this collection of poems. If you would like to see the beginning of this online book, the Table of Contents, and the first poem without incurring any cost, click here ...
POTPOURRI OF THE MIND (ONLINE)
Ten good reasons why you should want to own POTPOURRI OF
THE MIND and/or A SOJOURN IN LIMERICK
1. These editions are beautifully printed and bound - - first class hardcover books.
2. My work is recommended by the Pentatette Newsletter (Mensa
Limerick Group) and Amazon.com.
3. Woo your loved one with poems about love, nature, ...
4. Wide range of subjects providing hours of
entertainment.
5. Once I'm really famous, you can pull out an autographed
first edition and impress your friends!
6. Includes poems with a touch of humor and poems with a
touch of sex.
7. Only 25 cents per poem!
8. Includes poems about Dartmouth College and beautiful
New Hampshire.
9. Makes a terrific gift - - to yourself or a loved one.
10. Buying a copy will show your support for Poetic
Limericks and my particular style of rhyming poetry.
My second book, A SOJOURN IN LIMERICK
This book, published June 1999, is a beautiful companion edition which is done in the same style as my first book!
It has another 80 poems including ones
on nature, food, love, sexual appetites, time travel,
and magic - - there are also new topics, many with a
touch of humor. Included
are poems which have been honored such
as Paean to the Millennium, Unmasked, and Night Sky.
The cover, graphics, and overall look of the second
book match that of my first so they make a fine
set together! I expect to eventually publish a third book to
complete the set.
Want to know more about A SOJOURN IN LIMERICK? Click here for ...
Ordering A SOJOURN IN LIMERICK is
easy and you will love it just as much as my first book - -
if not more!
Here's how to get a copy!
To email me
My address is: Joel@PoeticLimericks.com
MY POETIC COMMENTS PAGE (Please sign)
Note: I would like very much to have
your comments - - compliments or constructive
criticism. Or, just leave your name and where you come
from - - I love to know who is reading my
work.
SUBMIT COMMENTS
A big thank you to those who've sent along words of encouragement!
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