Limericks for Lent

Last Thursday I wrote my first limerick in response to the dVerse Poets Pub FormForAll, then later that day wrote two more. At least one of my readers expressed concern that I might get stuck in this genre of poetry – an idea I quickly dismissed. And yet this morning as I pondered what to write, a limerick came to mind, followed quickly by several more.

Typically, limericks tend to the crude and somewhat distasteful (such as “There once was a man from Nantucket” that lends itself to all sorts of rude limericks). But as a poetic form it need not be so, and even can be used to express more subtle humor.

This series of limericks was in part inspired by a post I read the other day titled “Easter joy and Holy joking” about how the resurrection was the greatest joke in all of history. It was a joke on Satan who thought the crucifixion was his greatest victory. He thought he had finally obtained eternal dominion over mankind and that we would forever believe his lies. Thankfully he was wrong and God knew what He was doing that Good Friday and Easter Sunday.

Limericks for Lent

There’s a man who was God come to earth
He arrived by a strange virgin birth
He gave sight to the blind
And He saved all mankind
Wanting us to all know of our worth

V V V

There’s a man who was God in the flesh
He first came in a lowly barn crèche
With disciples He walked
There was truth when He talked
He allows us to start life afresh

V V V

There’s a man, King of kings, who was God
On this evil planet He did trod
To the lost He gave peace
And the first He made least
Lord of lords in the end all will laud

V V V

The devil tricked Eve, so it goes
But the joke was on him, I suppose
On the cross Jesus died
All to save you and I
And defying the grave He then rose