A collection of limericks from our tour!

Pete’s Poems

The ‘Limerick’

The Limerick is a five-line poem with the rhyming scheme of AABBA - the ‘B’ lines being shorter than the ‘A’ lines. Its invention goes back to a party game originating in the County of Limerick in Ireland through which the North Central College Women’s Chorale passed on their recent visit here. Traditionally ‘Limericks’ are somewhat bawdy or ‘blue’ but not necessarily so. Hundreds of thousands of Limericks have been written without being ‘risqué’.  

While I am perfectly capable of penning ‘blue’ Limericks, I endeavored not to do so on the recent visit of the North Central College Women’s Chorale. I considered all of the girls as my own daughters and I would naturally give them due respect.

In referencing the poetic form of the ‘Limerick’ while passing through that county, I little realized the effect it would have on the latent poetic talents of the group in general - and I think we all thoroughly enjoyed the ensuing outcome.

The reference to Saint Augustine reprises a quote of his which referred to liturgical music when he said”: “Those who sing pray twice”!

A choir from Naperville IL.
As ‘Headliners’ they top the bill
With voices like theirs
They twice say their prayers
St. Augustine must be with us still!

In their magnificent sound
Harmonious joy does abound
Right from the start
These girls lift your heart
No sweeter a sound can be found!

Their leader vivacious Ramona
A lass with a magic persona
She strives to be best
And with her zest
It’s plain to see that she’s ‘gonna’!

Their ivory tinkler named ‘Barb’
Was finding it tight in her garb
When going for a drink
She said, ‘let me think’
I better make this one ‘low-carb’!

Two Poetic writers of note
Each seeking the Number One vote
Caused quite a fuss
With their joust on the bus
With the BARBaric Limericks they wrote!

Two ladies named Benna and Ty
Into their tour book did spy
Being ever so keen
At all the sights seen
They kept Peter sharp by and by

The Angelic Alyssa Allgood
Kept Pete in his place, as she should
She knew all the tricks
He might try with the chicks
To woo one if only he could!

Then there was young Katie Liddy
Who’s been laughing since she was a kiddie
So it’s no surprise
I tell you no lies
Why this kiddie Liddy’s so giddy!

© Peter F Byrne 19 June 2012

There was a young man named Peter
Who turned out to be quite a leader
He told Dave where to go
And then said, "Oh, no!"
"We'll not make it down the street-er."

There once was a fiddler named Drew
Whose bow on the ground he threw
With a smile and a wink
And hardly a blink
He finished the song and said, "Phew"

We once took a group on a ferry
The lassies began oh so merry
They sang as they swayed
But soon they all prayed
For the trip turned out quite hairy.

There once was a bus driver named Dave
Who took it as good as he gave.
With a smile on his face
By the door in his place
He said, "Girls you now must behave."

There once were two girls, Ty and Benna
In Ireland they raised the  antenna
Then Hal called and said
"I awoke in my bed
For I feared you had flown to Vienna."

--Barb

Peter, our fearless tour guide,
We've shared many an entertaining ride.
A bus full of cheer, our grins ear to ear,
We will always share his Irish pride.
--Alyssa

Amanda the opportunity sleeper
Awake we could not keep her
Asleep on the bus
And never a fuss
 One of a kind dream keeper
--Emily

To Ireland we came
Traveled on a bus full of dames
With company of gents
Singing in churches and not Wentz
Our lives will never be the same!
--Ariel

We went to a pub one day,
Quite late there we did stay.
A man asked me for a kiss, then moved on to Dr. Wis,
So rock, paper, scissors for him we did play.
--Amanda Broaddus

On the bus many girls were asleep
Their eyes closed, they made not a peep
Snoozing without care
They are quite unaware
So let's all get our cameras and creep

All the sheep made the girls say "awwww"
Even though, many thousands they saw
They oooh'd at the cows
But what drew the most wows
was a traffic cone

With an excess of sugars and creams
Peter certainly loved coffee beans
Though the choir was tired
Their guide was quite wired
sadistic, his oklahoma screams

Old tires on your left
Silage on your right
Sheep that have been serviced
Sketchy vans that are white

Gruesomely severed fingers
Exploits in a gay bar
Hitting on all the singers
(but he didn't get very far)

"Tails" of fighting kitties
All different breeds of cow
Mountains that look like titties
Peter is, like totally, wow

--Steve

If anyone has other limericks from the tour, maybe ones you wrote in the book to Peter, please send me an e-mail and I'll add them to our collection here :)

Megan