I need a serious limerick, suitable for reading at a memorial service. Does such an animal exist? It definitely should not contain the word Nantucket.
I’m no poet (don’t I know it), but here’s what I’ve come up with so far:
The soul flies away like a dove,
When god calls us home from above.
We live our short lives,
As husbands and wives,
In the end all that matters is love.
Any other suggestions?
The limerick is so not a serious form that any attempt to use it as such will just sound bizarre. I would suggest either a sonnet or terza rima.
I know, I know. Its just that limericks were a special part of this person’s interaction with a lot of people and I was hoping . . …
Oh well, you are probably right.
I’d have to agree with matt_mcl. In fact, I got all giddy when I saw this thread just because it was about limericks. If you’re determined to do this, yours is probably as good as anything you’ll find, but I imagine it will seem about as appropriate as a Volkswagen Beetle hearse.
Maybe if you gave us a bit more background info, we could help you.
Reading a serious limerick at a funeral would be akin to, say, tap dancing. I think you should save the serious sentiments for the non-rhyming section of your remarks.
But a limerick which is simply a tribute to the deceased’s own poetic skills could be OK, particularly if it were self-deprecating. A little laughter at a funeral isn’t always a bad thing, and sometimes helps connect people to their other emotions as well.
Be sure to nod and wink suggestively as you read the last line.
If there’s to be a printed program, or keepsake, how about including it in there. People could read it at their leisure, and decide for themselves if it was appropriate. The folks who really knew him will smile quietly to themselves, and the rest can have it explained to them at the luncheon/reception afterwards. A small preface to the limerick would be in order, and also, good taste.