Poets' Corner, Or a Double Dactyl for Osama
The death of Mr. Osama bin Laden has brought out an unexpected tendency here on Ricochet--namely, a pervasive poetic impulse.
Ricochet member John Lamoreaux got it all started very early this morning by quoting Bertolt Brecht. Drew Klavan soon countered with a choice line by the bard of Stratford-on-Avon, whereupon Steve Manacek offered an entire poem in the manner of e. e. cummings. And this evening, Pat Sajak honorably stepped up to fill the gap that just had to be filled. Really, in all the long and glorious annals of English literature, has anything ever delighted you more deeply and completely than the thought that the canon now includes Pat's limerick beginning, "There once was a man named Osama"?
If Pat had ended the day, I'd have retired happy enough. But in my inbox just now I found a reply by Steve Manacek to a note I'd sent him this morning, reminding him of the fun we'd had in college with that venerable and remarkably tricky form, the double dactyl, also known as the higgledy-piggledy.
Could Steve, I'd asked, compose a double dactyl celebrating yesterday's glorious victory?
Why, yes, Steve has now replied, to my intense delight, he could:
Higgledy-piggledy
'Sama bin Laden, Sir,
Hiding and plotting for
Heaven's reward
Woke to discover that
"Invisibility"
Couldn't protect him from
Uncle Sam's sword.
Only on Ricochet.
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Comments :
Aug '10
Re: Poets' Corner, Or a Double Dactyl for Osama
Pervasive, yes. Unexpected, though?
What else is gonna happen when you get a bunch of professional and amateur writers together and encourage them to start conversations?
It's literary nerdiness. Glorious, delicious literary nerdiness.
Ricochet poetry slams. It could be a trend.
Re: Poets' Corner, Or a Double Dactyl for Osama
It's harder than it looks.
--
Higgledy piggledy,
Sammy bin Laden, the
Al Qaeda base head, a
Very bad guy
Asked by a SEAL are your
Virgins expecting you?
Monosyllabically
Said yes and died.
Aug '10
Re: Poets' Corner, Or a Double Dactyl for Osama
Lileks, I would like it twice if I could.
Sep '10
Re: Poets' Corner, Or a Double Dactyl for Osama
Mr. Robinson, I noticed we had a great victory in the Middle East soon after you recorded an Uncommon Knowledge podcast on the Middle East.
Any chance you could do a podcast on my love life?
Aug '10
Re: Poets' Corner, Or a Double Dactyl for Osama
Higgeldy-piggeldy,
this dude Usama, he
hid in plain sight in some
real swanky digs,
expected his virginal
females in afterlife --
vexed to discover they're
all goats and pigs.
.
Edited on May 2, 2011 at 8:18pmRe: Poets' Corner, Or a Double Dactyl for Osama
Peter Robinson:
If Pat had ended the day, I'd have retired happy enough.
Peter, if I can bring you any happiness at all, my day is complete.
Dec '10
Re: Poets' Corner, Or a Double Dactyl for Osama
Ricoche Poetry. Does this mean it qualifies for Federal Funding?
Dec '10
Re: Poets' Corner, Or a Double Dactyl for Osama
Osama in Abbottabad had a bed,
Myriads of martyred maidens filled his head.
Black Ops knocked at his door,
Guns blasting blood galore,
There he laid dead from American made lead.
Aug '10
Re: Poets' Corner, Or a Double Dactyl for Osama
Might I respectfully point out that Pat's was the third limerick in Rob's conversation although I suspect it was the first from someone who has never actually been to Limerick, Ireland, home of the ditty (if I may make an assumption about Aodhan, who lives in London but has a very Irish name). My own bombed apparently, possibly because it's "pro-Obama" in tone, albeit tongue-in-cheek, or maybe more likely because of the use of Alabama to rhyme with Obama, which I concede was not in the best taste. Anyway, Aodhan got there first and should get some credit. (My offering a while back on Harry Reid and the cowboy poets will have to sustain my own pride)
Re: Poets' Corner, Or a Double Dactyl for Osama
As we grow through life, trying to better ourselves and widen our view by partaking in the finer things, sometimes even the wonderful gets overlooked.
Poetry passed right by me without a notice, and I'm sure I'm somehow worse because of it.
Edited on May 3, 2011 at 8:15amMay '10
Re: Poets' Corner, Or a Double Dactyl for Osama
Al-qaeda, schmal-qaeda
Barack Obama, Esq.,
Formerly cloistered in
Harvard's smug yard,
No longer looks like a
Post-patriotically
Posturing poster boy:
Laden dies hard.
(This only works if you're willing to pronounce "Esq." as one syllable. Dang, this form is hard.)
Edited on May 3, 2011 at 12:48pmOct '10
Re: Poets' Corner, Or a Double Dactyl for Osama
Higgledy piggledy,
Urban Abbottabad,*
site of the bin Laden
getaway plan.
In a home most
Edited on May 5, 2011 at 9:23amunexceptionable,**
to the authorities
of Pakistan.
Apr '11
Re: Poets' Corner, Or a Double Dactyl for Osama
The Air Force responds to the RFP ultimately won by the Navy
Higgle-dee piggle-dee
Edited on May 13, 2011 at 6:52pmDOA UbL,
Proposed we to Saudis, "Re-
quiescat in pace?:
A grave in the desert, a
Coffin with JDAM, then
Aerodynamically
B-2...bombs away!"