Limerick, Poetic Form Exercise Options

[Merlin]

The smell of the gas was horrendous;
boy, the blast musta been real stupendous.
It's still the debater
if he left a huge crater
since such effort is Shurly Tremendous.

[JustDaniel]

Why is Shirley Tremendous so large?
At the present she lives on a barge
but she has to be moved
'cause it now has been proved
that the lake's filling up from her discharge.

[Merlin]

Cuz the lake's filling up from her discharge
is why Shirley went off for a recharge.
Mickey Dee ain't the culprit
like they say from the pulpit;
it's them pints that she drinks – they're too large!

[Larry]

If the pints are too large that she drinks
then she gets them from England, me thinks
‘cause a pint over there
has four ounces to spare
so the lake level’s rise as she sinks.

[Merlin]

The lake level’s risen, she sinks
much quicker than pebbles, methinks.
When she gets to the bottom
it is well into autumn
and she blinks at this horrible jinx.

[JustDaniel]

We all blink from the horrible stink
that has spread through the old skating rink
alongside of the lake
that's turned nearly opaque --
close to black now; it's right on the brink.

[Merlin]

Close the black door; don't brink cuz I'm gone,
Take-a-break sez my shrink, Dr. Brawn.
I'm away for a reason,
and perhaps for a season...
but meanwhile, there'll come a new dawn.

[JustDaniel]

In the meantime there comes a new Dawn,
and what wonders she's ready to spawn;
as she opens her wings
her morning rays spring
to light the page we'll write upon.

[Larry]

If you write on a page that is light
don’t press down very hard ‘cause you might
tear right through it and then
you must start once again
and the thoughts that you had may take flight.

[JustDaniel]

Have the thoughts that you had taken flight?
If you sit down and rest then you might
get them back in your head
till you write them instead
of beating yourself up, all right?

[Larry]

If you’re beating yourself up, alright
but you never will win in that fight
you know how it will end
‘cause you are your best friend
and besides, what we pen’s kind-a trite.

[JustDaniel]

You're saying our writing is trite?!
I suppose I must say the you're right,
'cause the time that we take
isn't likely to rake
in the bucks that would wipe out a blight.

[Larry]

If you wiped out a blight with big bucks;
(there’s one now –stunted corn with no shucks).
You would make so much cash
that you never could stash
and you’d join the rich muckety-mucks.

[JustDaniel]

If I'd joined with the mockery-mucks
I'd feel funny if I should say "shucks"
'cause I am so simple
I smile at a pimple
and go 'round with "Sally"s and "Huck"s.

[Larry]

Go with Sally and Huck for a round
of some copper-coil squeezin’s they found
in a jug by the creek
but don’t let any leak
‘cause the fish will all think they have drowned.

[JustDaniel]

Should the fish in the creek think they've drowned
I suspect that my face'd seem frowned
from the wrinkles of thinkin'
with eyes both a-blinkin'
from forcin' ideas 'round and 'round.

[Larry]

Ideas forced ‘round and ‘round in the head
will soon help you realize what I’ve said
about fish breathing in
extra-strength white lightin’
and think they should be flyin’ instead.

[JustDaniel]

Ya think fish should be flyin' instead
o' swimmin' their way to the head
of the stream? It's your dream
that they'd never lose steam
and be poppin' out wings as you've said.

[Larry]

If I said fish were poppin’ out wings
then I must have been seein’ some things
‘cause white lightenin’, shore nuf
makes you see some weird stuff.
That may be why the albatross sings.

[JustDaniel]

I have not heard an albatross sing;
I might guess that its shrieking would sting
my poor, sensitive ears
as its landing appears
and I wonder why God gave them wings.