Welcome to my blog, where I take pleasure in words and pictures, be they my own or those of others. I'm a creative individual, and the crafty side I explore on my 'other blog', Picking Up The Threads, which I hope you'll visit too. I'm sure you understand that I have sole copyright of my original work and any of my contributions, so please ask if you want to use them. A polite request is rarely refused. So, as they used to say on the BBC's 'Listen With Mother' radio programme, many years ago: "Are you sitting comfortably? Then we'll begin."

Sunday 29 April 2012

Exposed


Image by Manu Pombrol


A  bookworm who lived in Dunbar,
Decided to bathe in a jar.
It was all too apparent,
That his assets transparent,
Were revealed as the best in Dunbar.

© Marilyn Brindley

Semantic Limerick
I decided to have a bit more fun with this limerick by trying out a 'semantic limerick' in the style of the poet Gavin Ewart. The limerick is rewritten without using the words of the original, and instead using definitions from dictionaries or replaced words. I happened to use the online free dictionary, simply because it was quicker, but you could thumb through any dictionary to hand to achieve different effects. It's a good way of playing with words and increasing your vocabulary at the same time. Here's my semantic version of the above limerick.

A person devoted to reading, who resided in a Scottish town, came to a resolution in the mind, as a result of consideration, to wash by immersion, his body, in a wide-mouthed receptacle or container made of glass or pottery. It was, to a higher degree than is desirable, obvious that his useful or valuable qualities were of the most excellent, effective or desirable type in the aforesaid Scottish town.

Taking part in 'The Mag' courtesy of Tess at Willow Manor

29 comments:

  1. Can't help grinning away at the bookworm who lived in the jar! :-)

    Jem xXx

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  2. Excellent limerick...it is a perfect caption to the picture.

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  3. Hello Marilyn:
    Wonderfully witty. We are, unlike the humourless Queen Victoria, highly amused. Such fun and so very clever. We shall hope for more in the future!

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  4. Great limerick, but the semantic version is in a class of its own. I must have a go at that.

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  5. very cleverly written! and thanks for visiting my blog!

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  6. I love a good limerick thanks so much for sharing and the smiles x

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  7. I love that you included the Semantic Limerick as well. Both limericks are funny and clever in their own unique ways. I will remember this technique and use it sometime. Thank you for sharing your tales from the aforesaid Scottish town, Little Nell. =D

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  8. Heehee. Love "assets transparent." And what bookworm doesn't want to live in a jar, at least for awhile. ;)

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  9. I did a limerick too... I like the semantic one as well.

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  10. assets apparent is a revealing line...haha...the lengths we go to just to read in peace...smiles...nice limerick

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  11. You've captured his essence artfully. LOL
    rel

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  12. Perhaps he spent too much time at the Volunteer Arms? , L'Nell! Thanks .

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  13. Lovely! ( and I've learnt something today, too!)

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  14. Ha -very clever! K.

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  15. Now that's a lesson in waffling, if every I heard one! LOL

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    1. You mean “to talk foolishly or without purpose; idle away time talking”? Surely not Jinksy.

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  16. "Assets apparent"...really??? Very clever...totally enjoyed this. Vb

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  17. I need a magnifying glass to check out those assets .......

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  18. Two first class limericks here.
    Or should I say - An superlatively good pair of 5 line humourous poems rhyming aabba posted at this location.

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  19. heh heh heh I've been to Dunbar and I'll be back again now! ......I'll have to try this semantic method out for myself. It'd be great to amuse the lads with!

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  20. Clever twist to the prompt, Little Nell! Hilarious limerick!

    Hank

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  21. I just want to know what is worn under the kilt in Dunbar!
    Interesting story about your mum and dad too. :-)

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  22. That's an interesting task! Poetry to prose! I like it.

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  23. Ah, so much fun! Both of them! Well done.

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