by Kathleen M. Muldoon
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Happy March! I love March, don’t you? There’s so much to celebrate this month. For one, my favorite season, spring, starts in March. I love it when everything starts to bloom, the grass turns green, and birds start to build their nests-all the creatures in the world seem to be in love. Then there’s spring break, when students and teachers get a much needed rest and maybe even sneak in a little fun.
My absolute favorite thing about March, though, is that I get to celebrate my ethnic heritage. March 17 is St. Patrick’s Day, a day when everyone can pretend they’re Irish. I, of course, am the real thing. We have great celebrations in San Antonio. Even though most of the folks here are of Mexican heritage, they wear green on March 17 to celebrate the Irish. Our mayor even has the San Antonio River dyed green. We have a great St. Patrick’s Day parade and an Irish festival with food, music, and dancing.
I like all that. But what I really love about celebrating my heritage is the fun of writing limericks. I can write them any time, but I first learned how to write these funny Irish poems on St. Patrick’s Day from Sister Margaret Mary when I was in second grade. I still remember the first limerick she wrote on the board and had us memorize…
There was an old man with a beard,
Who said, “It is just as I feared!-
Two owls and a hen,
Four larks and a wren,
Have all built their nests in my beard!”
That still makes me laugh! Sister told us it was written by Edward Lear, an Irish poet from the city of Limerick who made this verse form popular way back in 1845.
Now, I’m the first to admit I’m not a poet. All that stuff in English class about iambic pentameter and metric feet went right over my head. But limericks, now there’s something I can grasp. For one thing, they’re simple. They have only five lines. Lines 1, 2, and 5 rhyme; lines 3 and 4 rhyme. This pattern is simply known as A-A-B-B-A. I can do that! Limericks have a simple rhythm: Lines 1, 2 and 5 are da-DA da-da-DA da-da-DA da; lines 3 and 4 are da-DA da-da-DA da. I can do that, too-usually.
What I like best about limericks is that most are funny and that they serve as a way for me to express myself. I found this one in an old diary, obviously after a particularly gross date (you’ll note an imperfect rhythm, but it must have made me feel great after I wrote it!):
I once dated a boy named Kirk,
Who was an incredible jerk!
When he came for our date
He was sloppy and late,
And his manners drove me berserk!
I don’t think I ever dated Kirk again. So, here it is March again. Limericks are bubbling up in my head…
Here’s a plea to the Kids in Action
Who to this column have had a reaction,
Get out your pen
And go into the den
And write limericks to your satisfaction.
All right, so I’m no Edward Lear. Have you written your limerick yet? Is it better than mine? I hope so! If you’d like to share, e-mail it to action@unitedspinal.org or mail it to:
KIDS IN ACTION
United Spinal Association
75-20 Astoria Boulevard
Jackson Heights, NY 11370-1177
Isn’t it fun to be Irish, if only for one day?
Kathleen M. Muldoon is a children’s book author and writing instructor for the Institute of Children’s Literature. She lives in San Antonio, Texas.
