[db-wg] proposal: haiku object

On Mon, 8 Mar 2004, Titley, Nigel wrote:

> Whilst agreeing that the limerick is possibly restricted in its metrical
> form, I cannot agree with the statement that it is restricted to humorous
> subjects, and hence at least one of the objections to its general use is
> fallacious.

$ whois -v limerick
[...]
The limerick class:

      The limerick object represents a humorous poem that has five 
      lines and the rhyme scheme "aabba".
[...]
text

   Text of the limerick. Must be humorous, but not malicious or
   insulting.
[...]

Although IMHO the limerick _is_ considered a humorous poem in literature, 
the limerick object is not.

> My solution to the lack of alternative metrical objects would simply be to
> redefine all poetry as limericks. 

I think, this is a poor solution. Haikus (and Sonnets, etc. respectively) 
are no limericks and never will be. Do you want the whole world to laugh 
about the RIPE NCC for not knowing what a limerick is?

> Also it has the merit of offering increased
> employment opportunities for poets, who would see their services called upon
> to rewrite all existing poetry in the limerick form.

Sometimes. Maybe. But not every haiku can be rewritten into a limerick.
Sometimes a haiku can say more than a thousand words.

> Nigel

Robert

-- 
RSP-RIPE