Mathematical Limericks • National Poetry Month

Math and literature are like peas and carrots. See below for proof!

Thanks to my friend Beth for finding this, and I apologize if it's a little fussy

Limericks: Rated PG and Beyond

Limericks: they're easy to remember, easy to write and easy to share.  Well, some of them.

Let's start with a few you can easily share, nerdy and for (mostly) general consumption:

There was a young woman named Bright
Whose speed was much faster than light.
She set out one day
In a relative way,
And returned on the previous night.

There once was a man from Nantucket
whose walrus oh so luved its bukket.
One day walrus groaned,
it had just gotten pwned;
Said the lolcat "O HAI, I JUST TUK IT". 

There once was a man from Australia

Whose limericks were kind of a failure.

He'd be doing just fine

'Til he hit the last line

Then he'd — damn.

Here are a couple I'd consider more PG. Share with discretion, of course.

There once was a lady from Spain

Who got sick as she rode on a train.

Not once, but again

And again and again

And again and again and again.

There once was a woman named Claire

Who had a magnificent pair.

As I watched her one morn

They got caught on a thorn —

Then they, sadly, began losing some air.

What's a limerick post without dirty limericks? I hit a couple of websites and — well, let's just say I never considered using the name Robin Hood in quite that way before. I cannot print them here, but I can give you two websites for your viewing, er, pleasure:

• http://zillagorilla.tripod.com/zillagorilla/id16.html
• http://www.funlimericks.com/dirty-limericks.php

You get far beyond the Man from Nantucket, I assure you.

Thanks to Fun Limericks for most of these. You can decide if you'll thank the really dirty limerick sites.

Choose a Poem for Your Pocket

Here's one I wrote ages ago. It still amuses me. You can use it for your Pocket Poem, if you would like.

Or, find one and share it with me.

Just go find one and carry it with you. Read it from time to time. Maybe even give it away to someone who looks like s/he needs it. Poem in Your Pocket Day is April 30, so be ready!

Until then, enjoy this little limerick.

There once was a wise cat named Mao
Who said to herself, "Anyhow,
I will not make a sound
That is not as profound
As Lao Tse's poetical Tao."