# Tit for tat

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tit-for-tat/377082>\
**Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\
**Created:** [October 19, 2006, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tit-for-tat/377082 "2006-10-19T13:25:15Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\
**Post date:** [October 24, 2006, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tit-for-tat/377082/21 "2006-10-24T17:20:11Z")

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Personally, I would put the stresses on “found”, “no”, and “Tat” (though “tit” would get a little more emphasis than the other “unstressed” syllables). And as long as all the stressed syllables have the right timing, a limerick can certainly fudge the unstressed ones. I’ve also heard some, for instance, that put an extra unstressed syllable at the end of each long line:

There **once** was a **maid** in a **tow** er  
Who **looked** just as **fair** as a **flow** er  
Her **hair** was like **silk** ,  
Her **skin** smooth as **milk** ,  
But her **breath** made the **brav** est knight **cow** er.

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**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\
**Post date:** [October 24, 2006, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tit-for-tat/377082/22 "2006-10-24T18:24:56Z")

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I wasn’t criticizing the structure, just explaining why I missed the obvious - because I expected something else.

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