WTH Blog
Official Wyld Type Hybrid Blog

Limerick or Pun

Yesterday, while waiting to start the Boston Marathon Jimmy Fund Walk, Krissy and I began discussing limericks and puns. Here’s what we came up with:

Puns are quite commonplace in everyday conversation. My take is that they add a little bit of spice to the conversation. These guys allow me to find entertainment in otherwise unimpressive jabber. There are those who are vehemently opposed to the pun. According to Annette Parks, formerly of Exelixis, puns are the lowest form of humor. Perhaps this is a result of over-stimulation. Niels Klitgord, Kyle Edgar, and I made it a point to work puns into our daily banter while working at Exelixis. As it turns out, Krissy also enjoys a good pun. She does not appreciate the “bad” ones, though.

Limericks are classic examples of crude humor wrapped up nicely in poetry. My dad had a book of limericks that weighed nearly as much as the bibles found in motel nightstands. He was certainly a proponent of this form of entertainment. When we were young, Chuck managed to learn by rote a large percentage of that very book. While not quite as vulgar as the standard limerick, I managed to write some song lyrics in this nature. In my experience, the limerick is more common among the male gender. Krissy certainly does not appreciate them as much as I do. There have been numerous occasions where I attempt to recite a well known limerick, only to be rudely interrupted prior to completing the task.

The result of our conversation: Limericks 1, Puns 2.

Oh, the 13 mile walk was a good time.

6 Responses to “Limerick or Pun”

  1. I think limericks are the lowest form of humor. Not once has a limerick made me laugh! I’d rather not even hear them. Luckily, you’re the only one I encounter on a regular basis who feels the need to recite those deplorable excuses for poetry!

    Kristine - September 19, 2006 at 7:53 AM

  2. My suggestion to you, Krissy: Sample a number of limerick. Everyone has their own taste. I’ll point you in the direction of a good book.

    mbassm - September 20, 2006 at 12:10 AM

  3. Let us begin with a classic:
    There once was a man from Aberdeen,
    Who invented a jerking machine.
    On the twenty-fifth stroke,
    The God damn thing broke,
    And beat his balls to a cream.

    The lowest form of humor is most often the best…short and to the point – not to mention, cleverly written, need i write more? … ok, you convinced me, i’ll continue…

    I don’t remember how this one began – there are at least 3 stanzas that preceed this one:
    The cabin boy was the captain’s joy,
    A cunning little nipper,
    They filled his ass with broken glass,
    And circumsized the skipper.

    Char-les - September 20, 2006 at 2:55 AM

  4. Two classics! I agree with Chuck. The limerick is a form of poetry that is accessible to a very large group of readers.

    mbassm - September 20, 2006 at 9:40 AM

  5. I disagree…I think it could be a serious social faux pas to recite something like that to a large group of people!

    Kristine - September 20, 2006 at 3:49 PM

  6. Krissy has a point. There is a time and a place for everything. I would be more apt to use a pun in a work presentation over a limerick. Puns are more concise and easily conveyed. I have seen limericks performed in various bar scenarios, though. Take for example trivia night at the Bitter End in San Francisco. They tend to have a limerick competition on a weekly basis. The top 3 would be read aloud at the end of the night. Perfectly acceptable in my opinion.

    mbassm - September 21, 2006 at 4:45 PM


Leave a Reply