# Clerihews, you make some. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 2, 2009, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clerihews-you-make-some/501684 "2009-07-02T12:46:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2009, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clerihews-you-make-some/501684/21 "2009-07-03T00:40:21Z")
> [@AppallingGael](#): > > Incorrect. [Bentley himself](http://www.wardsbookofdays.com/30march.htm) observed no such restriction. Hm, interesting. Will you at least allow that the name always appears in the first line? ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2009, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clerihews-you-make-some/501684/22 "2009-07-03T00:48:27Z")
I almost wrote “the first verse being usually, but not always, the name of the subject. . .” but I thought that was clunky and not clear. You Dopers are so technical. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2009, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clerihews-you-make-some/501684/23 "2009-07-03T01:36:33Z")
> [@Chez\_Guevara](#): > > People aren’t exactly queueing up to post so I’ll stick my head above the parapet with this: > > Captain James Tiberius Kirk > Was two days overdue at _The Enterprise_ (his place of work), > His excuse for being late > Was a miscalculation of the stardate. Captain James Tiberius Kirk Is a piece of work When no hot humanoid greenskinned alien babes are within range of the transporter He’ll do a horta ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2009, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clerihews-you-make-some/501684/24 "2009-07-03T02:32:39Z")
Harve Presnell Wasn’t doing too well 'Till he ended his Hollywood embargo And got a role in **Fargo**. Karl Malden Never read **Walden** Knew nothing about it. But never left home without it. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2009, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clerihews-you-make-some/501684/25 "2009-07-03T03:14:50Z")
Al Franken After seven months of recounts and litigious wankin’ Is going to the Senate Funny, innit? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2009, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clerihews-you-make-some/501684/26 "2009-07-03T03:27:38Z")
Manuel Zelaya Goes from obscure, known-only-to-geeks Third-World banana-republic pol to global big-name playa When a bunch of military mommas Boot him out in his pajamas ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2009, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clerihews-you-make-some/501684/27 "2009-07-03T03:33:35Z")
Michael Jackson Was trying to find a way to come back, son But he bought the farm . . . Guess what! That works like a charm! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Civil\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d78d45/32.png) [@Civil\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Civil_Guy)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2009, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clerihews-you-make-some/501684/28 "2009-07-03T03:56:14Z")
First attempt: Arnold Schwartzenegger Is forced to rely on “we’ll pay for it later.” Meanwhile, the California legislature Figures they’ll pass a budget soon or late, sure. ---
**Author:** ![AppallingGael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9bd4f/32.png) [@AppallingGael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AppallingGael)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2009, 8:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clerihews-you-make-some/501684/29 "2009-07-03T08:40:25Z")
> [@Scarlett67](#): > > Hm, interesting. Will you at least allow that the name always appears in the first line? No (“There exists no proof as/ To who shot William Rufus/ But shooting him would seem/ To have been quite a sound scheme”–ECB). Also… The liver’s imperiled Of F. Scott Fitzgerald. While finishing up “Last Tycoon”, he’s Been drinking tee many martoonis. ---
**Author:** ![Chez\_Guevara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/aeb1de/32.png) [@Chez\_Guevara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chez_Guevara)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2009, 9:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clerihews-you-make-some/501684/30 "2009-07-03T09:13:51Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > James Tiberius Kirk > Was an obnoxious jerk > A fat tub of lard > Not as good as Picard. Jean-Luc Picard. It would be unfair to describe him as a complete retard. While a lot of things he does are totally potty, At least he doesn’t say things like “Beam me up, Scotty”. ---
**Author:** ![MacSpon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/34f0e0/32.png) [@MacSpon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacSpon)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2009, 10:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clerihews-you-make-some/501684/31 "2009-07-03T10:48:29Z")
Here’s a trio that I wrote a few years back, during a (place-dropper!) trip to Antarctica. _Robert Falcon Scott Had to get there, first or not. He die upon the way back; He should have been more laid-back._ _Richard Evelyn Byrd Built Little America the Third. He couldn’t think of another name, But they built statues of him just the same._ (1) _Carsten Egeburg Borchgrevink Said, “I got there first, I think. At least I’ll tell the world I did.” But it wasn’t him, it was the kid._ (2) (1): Admiral Byrd’s Antarctic station was called “Little America”. A camp further inland was named “Little America III”. (2): Borchgrevink claimed to be the first man to have set foot on the Antarctic continent. However it is popularly believed that the ship’s boy jumped out of the boat first, to help Borchgrevink. ---
**Author:** ![ianzin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ed655f/32.png) [@ianzin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ianzin)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2009, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clerihews-you-make-some/501684/32 "2009-07-03T12:24:13Z")
The singer MJ Was famed for the way He used his great voice And some trials about boys Financier Madoff Fiddled books and was bad, of The millions he made once, he Made most from schemes Ponzi David Carradine Was an actor most seen In the series Kung Fu But he did other things too Farrah Fawcett Was blonde, not brunette As an Angel found fame And today, it’s the same Cecil Adams Can answer questions on atoms Or any subject but this: Who he is Ed Zotti At school was a swot, he Has an awesome mind, like Google And wants rude words used frugal ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2009, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clerihews-you-make-some/501684/33 "2009-07-03T13:25:58Z")
Poor Andy Murray Will cry for his mummy Cause old Mr. Fedder (sp?) Plays tennis much better ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2009, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clerihews-you-make-some/501684/34 "2009-07-03T13:56:59Z")
Abraham Lincoln Did some thinkin’ 'Bout the Gettysburg mess So he gave an Address. James Dean Was pretty keen For a movie star Who didn’t get far. Queen Victoria Made Britain roar, yeah. She ruled, it appears, For 63 years. ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2009, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clerihews-you-make-some/501684/35 "2009-07-03T13:59:09Z")
> [@AppallingGael](#): > > No (“There exists no proof as/ To who shot William Rufus/ But shooting him would seem/ To have been quite a sound scheme”–ECB). Also… Hmm, very odd. This is all news to me. I have never ever before today seen a poem in this form claiming to be a clerihew before. I still like the other form best. These other ones seem like impostors. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![AppallingGael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9bd4f/32.png) [@AppallingGael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AppallingGael)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2016, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clerihews-you-make-some/501684/36 "2016-04-26T05:22:13Z")
Ok, I thought of another. Marcel Proust Sought _le mot juste_ But gave up at last And wrote _Remembrance of Things Past_. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2016, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clerihews-you-make-some/501684/37 "2016-04-26T12:58:18Z")
A beguiling man named Prince Rare then, now, and forever since Shuffled off his mortal coil Left his fans to cry and roil (Zombie thread, I know) ---
**Author:** ![Purd\_Werfect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e47c2d/32.png) [@Purd\_Werfect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Purd_Werfect)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2016, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clerihews-you-make-some/501684/38 "2016-04-27T04:29:18Z")
Clarihew, (no, not Peter) Coined a biographical meter To first give one’s name, Then say the named one’s fame. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2016, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clerihews-you-make-some/501684/39 "2016-04-27T17:01:31Z")
Richard Kiel Wanted to keep it real. They needed someone else, but who? In stepped Peter Mayhew. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2016, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clerihews-you-make-some/501684/40 "2016-04-27T17:59:56Z")
I used to be clever. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clerihews-you-make-some/501684.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clerihews-you-make-some/501684.md?page=3)