CLERIHEW

Use this forum to suggest Good Words for Professor Beard.
Stargzer
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CLERIHEW

Postby Stargzer » Sun Jan 13, 2008 12:44 am

I ran across this word whilst reading an article on Sir Humphrey Davy on Wikipedia.

A Clerihew (or clerihew) is a very specific kind of short biographical humorous verse.

Wiktionary:
clerihew
Alternative spellings
Clerihew

Etymology
Named after Edmund Clerihew Bentley

Noun
clerihew

A rhyme of four lines, usually regarding a person mentioned in the first line.

The clerihew, as you can see,
is shorter than it ought to be,
with just four lines I’m s’posed to tell,
what it’s all about...oh well.
Wikipedia:
...The form was invented by and is named after Edmund Clerihew Bentley. As a student, Bentley invented the clerihew on Humphry Davy during his studies, and it was a great hit with his friends. The first use of the word in print was in 1928.

...

The first ever Clerihew was written about Sir Humphry Davy:

Sir Humphry Davy
Abominated gravy.
He lived in the odium
Of having discovered sodium.

...

In 1983, Games Magazine ran a contest titled "Do You Clerihew?" The winning entry was:

Did Descartes
Depart
With the thought
"Therefore I'm not"?
In Play: Unfortunately, it's difficult to work this word into a conversation. One would probably have more success asking, "Hey, do you want to hear a Clerihew?" and then reciting an example.

Clara Huges
Uses Clarihews
To show how humorous
She thinks her wit is to us.

Miss Spelling
Has an effect most telling,
Using devices mnemonic
To render English spelling and pronunciation less demonic.

Stargzer
Tried to please her,
But she couldn't be satisfied
No matter how hard he tried.
Regards//Larry

"To preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of the people always possess arms, and be taught alike, especially when young, how to use them."
-- Attributed to Richard Henry Lee

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Slava
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Postby Slava » Tue Aug 31, 2010 2:42 pm

This might be a good one for some of the Agora's newer members to play with. They did get a couple of group poem exercises together, so perhaps...?
Life is like playing chess with chessmen who each have thoughts and feelings and motives of their own.

LukeJavan8
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Postby LukeJavan8 » Fri Sep 03, 2010 12:42 pm

And prithee...who be they?????
-----please, draw me a sheep-----

saparris
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Postby saparris » Fri Sep 03, 2010 1:16 pm

This might be a good one for some of the Agora's newer members to play with. They did get a couple of group poem exercises together, so perhaps...?
_________________
Life is like playing chess with chessmen who each have thoughts and feelings and motives of their own.
I'm happy to be a pawn in this little game of word chess.
Last edited by saparris on Fri Sep 03, 2010 2:41 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Ars longa, vita brevis

LukeJavan8
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Postby LukeJavan8 » Fri Sep 03, 2010 1:33 pm

As long as you are not pretending to be the queen.
-----please, draw me a sheep-----

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Slava
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Postby Slava » Fri Sep 03, 2010 5:34 pm

This might be a good one for some of the Agora's newer members to play with. They did get a couple of group poem exercises together, so perhaps...?
_________________
Life is like playing chess with chessmen who each have thoughts and feelings and motives of their own.
I'm happy to be a pawn in this little game of word chess.
I'm looking forward to seeing what you and your ilk (the nice kind of ilk, that is) come up with.

Epigrams to each other or about yourselves? Politicians? Actors? There is no lack of targets out there, only participants. Let's hope more join in. It could be a lot of fun.
Life is like playing chess with chessmen who each have thoughts and feelings and motives of their own.

LukeJavan8
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Postby LukeJavan8 » Fri Sep 03, 2010 7:25 pm

There could have been a lot more participants
if only.......
-----please, draw me a sheep-----

saparris
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Postby saparris » Fri Sep 03, 2010 8:49 pm

I'm looking forward to seeing what you and your ilk (the nice kind of ilk, that is) come up with.
People of my ilk are never asked to join an ilk's club of any sort.
Ars longa, vita brevis

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Slava
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Postby Slava » Fri Sep 03, 2010 9:04 pm

Aye, there is a certain frisson of dissatisfaction in being an ilk, isn't there? No disrespect intended, I hope you understand.

As an aside, just across the street from my building is a converted theater, prominently inscribed BPOE. A handsome structure that I'm pleased to gaze upon nearly daily.
Life is like playing chess with chessmen who each have thoughts and feelings and motives of their own.

saparris
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Location: South Carolina USA

Postby saparris » Fri Sep 03, 2010 10:14 pm

Aye, there is a certain frisson of dissatisfaction in being an ilk....
I can't get no dissatisfaction from being in an ilk. I don't have directions to the BPOE home. In that regard, I'm a complete unknown, like a rolling stone.

(At least that's how it feels, that's how it feels.)
Ars longa, vita brevis

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Slava
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Postby Slava » Fri Sep 03, 2010 10:41 pm

Aye, there is a certain frisson of dissatisfaction in being an ilk....
I can't get no dissatisfaction from being in an ilk. I don't have directions to the BPOE home. In that regard, I'm a complete unknown, like a rolling stone.

(At least that's how it feels, that's how it feels.)
In a vague attempt to provide a tad of satisfaction, here be the BPOE home site. I claim no association, merely proximity to a former home.

May you continue to gather no moss.
Life is like playing chess with chessmen who each have thoughts and feelings and motives of their own.

Stargzer
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Posts: 2578
Joined: Tue Feb 15, 2005 3:56 pm
Location: Crownsville, MD

Postby Stargzer » Fri Sep 03, 2010 10:51 pm

I'm looking forward to seeing what you and your ilk (the nice kind of ilk, that is) come up with.
People of my ilk are never asked to join an ilk's club of any sort.
I've noticed we seem to be a group of odd fellows ...
Regards//Larry

"To preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of the people always possess arms, and be taught alike, especially when young, how to use them."
-- Attributed to Richard Henry Lee

LukeJavan8
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Postby LukeJavan8 » Fri Sep 03, 2010 10:58 pm

Please don't include me. I was a scout once, that was
enough. I'll stick to the quilting bee.
-----please, draw me a sheep-----

Perry
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Postby Perry » Sat Sep 04, 2010 7:45 pm

Perry Dror
was not a bore
When he found his ilk,
he dressed them in silk.
"Time is nature's way of keeping everything from happening all at once. Lately it hasn't been working."
Anonymous

Audiendus
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Clerihew

Postby Audiendus » Sun Sep 05, 2010 8:20 am

Slava has dug up hosts
Of disregarded posts;
Some go back to 2005
And the poster may no longer be alive.

LukeJavan8
Was in full spate
Last winter in this Agora,
But has lately spent more time on other fora.

Dr Goodword
Will no doubt have concurred
That the 'u' in 'ingenuity'
Is an etymological incongruity.


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