June 7, 2013

Fantasy Limericks

        My kids love their poetry units in school, but this year P was pretty aggrieved that they didn't get to write limericks as one of their poetry styles.  So one evening I sat down with him and we worked on writing limericks.  P decided to write a limerick about each of his family members; I decided to write mine about famous fantasy characters.  Here's what I was able to come up with…

There was a respectable hobbit
Who went to a wyrm-hoard to rob it.
His relations all said
He was wrong in the head,
Since with wizards and dwarves he'd hobnob it.

There was a poor orphan named Potter
Who overcame many a plotter.
He had quite a struggle,
Though he was no Muggle,
But he beat Voldemort, that old rotter.

There once was a girl from the prairie
Who killed wicked witches unwary.
One she fatally housed,
While the other she doused,
So they thought her a powerful fairy.

Sir Lancelot was a parágon
Who said, "Let us all raise a flagon:
The best knight ever seen -
We all know whom I mean."
How they wished he'd been et by a dragon.

        Are they works of genius?  Alas, no, though I claim the excuse that they had to be composed while I was also trying to help P find rhymes for assorted family names and characteristics.  But some of you out there must be able to do better than I.  Give it a try, and when you come up with a good one, post it in the comments.  I look forward to some comic fantasy gems of more sparkle and polish than mine!

[Picture:  King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, woodcut from William Stansby's edition of The most ancient and famous history of the renowned prince Arthur King of Britaine by Thomas Malory, 1634 (Image from Cardiff University).]

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