Clerihew: An Exercise in Clever | Blog
How good is your Clerihew-writing skills? If you can be quirky and humorous without appearing mean or obscene, it could be fun to write clerihews.
In around the turn of the century, these clever little rhyming puns were all the trend. The most effective clerihews are constructed with a bit of truth; nonsense doesn't provide the same emotional punch.
Clerihews can be used as an exercise that can stimulate your creativity. The humor can be gossipy and obvious, or a bit obscure, it's your preference. If it stimulates your thinking about it, then make you chuckle, it's well performed.
What Is an Clerihew?
Most often, they are designed to make fun of a person, clerihews are funny, short, and irreverent quatrains--four line poems, with an AABB rhyming scheme. The author, Edmund Clerihew Bentley, called them "baseless biographical sketches," which is also the title of his third collection, published in1939.
In 1905, Bentley released a book of his poetry, Biography for beginners The pseudonym was E. Clerihew, with illustrations from his friend G. K. Chesterton. That's why they're called clerihews instead of bentleys.
Who Was Edmund Clerihew Bentley?
born on the 10th of July 1875, in London, England, Edmund Clerihew Bentley was also known as E.C. Bentley and E. Clerihew, was a British journalist, poet, and novelist who is best known for inventing the clerihew, as well as other forms of light verse. The poet died on the 30th of March, 1956 in the age group of 80.
Bentley created his first clerihew while an 16-year-old pupil at St. Paul's school in London. His science teacher was Humphry Davy who was a well-known scientist and experimental chemist who created the miner's safety lamp, which is called"the" Davy lamp.
Bentley's very first clerihew focused on his instructor. It said:
Sir Humphry Davy - a scrumptious gravy.
He lived in the Odium
The discovery of the sodium.
After that, Bentley went to Oxford for law school. Shortly after graduating from Oxford with the law degree Bentley determined that he wanted to work in journalism, and re-entered the field. He spent the majority of his working life on the editorial pages of The Daily Telegraph. In his lifetime the newspaper released three collections of clerihews.
In addition to writing poetry and journalism In addition, he wrote numerous short stories and a best-selling detective novel, The Last Case(1913) which was which was followed by The Trent's Personal Case in 1936 with the co-author Warner Allen, and Trent Intervenes in 1938, an assortment of detective short stories.
Clerihew Day
Each year on July 10, E.C. Bentley's birthday is observed by the name of National Clerihew Day. Although you can't see fireworks or special foods, you can celebrate by reading clerihew poems or writing your own.
Clerihews focus on comedy and creativity and fun, so enjoy this! Poems written in clerihews could be an educational project suitable that is suitable for all ages.
Clerihew Examples
Sir Francis Bacon
Their lordships questioned Bacon
How much bribes had he received
At the very minimum, he had the grace
The face can become very red. the face. Edmund Clerihew Bentley
Hannibal
It was extremely disconcerting for Hannibal
After he met a cannibal
They expressed the highest opinions
Of cold pickled Carthaginian. Edmund Clerihew Bentley
Biography
Biography is the art Biography
It is different from geography.
Geography is all about maps.
But Biography is about chaps. Edmund Clerihew Bentley
To the Poetry Editor at the New Yorker
Is Robert Lowell
Better than Noel
Coward,
Howard? W. H. Auden
William Cobbett
When William Cobbett
A hen-roost was visible, and he took it away.
He posed as an British Farmer,
But knew nothing about Karma. G. K. Chesterton
How To Write a Clerihew
1. Pick a Subject
Clerihews are usually about an individual, however they are not always and not necessarily a real person. The first line contains the person's name or the subject of the poem.
As an example, you might make a piece about the character Obi-Wan Kenobi, a real person such as Ruth Bader Ginsberg, or something such as biography.
This is a current example of Lin Manuel-Miranda, Hamilton's lead actor:
Lin Manuel-Miranda
can be able to cater
to civics nerds as well as theatre to nerds of all kinds by rapping with passion and verve
about how to use the Federal Reserve. Daniel Galef
2. It's as easy as it gets! AABB
There is only one strict and fast rule: AABB couplets. The initial two lines rhyme. the next two lines rhyme.
3. Get a point across
The second line sets up the idea and explains something about the subject. It should rhyme with the initial line. The rhyme doesn't need to be true or even be logical.
3. Add Context
Third and Fourth lines provide an extra dimension to the premise like the punchline to a joke. They should rhyme, but are not required to rhyme with the first two lines.
4. Make it Funny
5. It's Unpredictable
The inconsistent meter makes this shape easy to write and also adds to the fun charm. Lines could be of any length, from single word , to ten words or more.
"Metrical insanity is a desideratum," comedian Stephen Fry stated in The Ode Less Travelled. "Indeed, it is considered very bad form for a clerihew to scan."
6. Don't Overthink It
Paul Ingram, owner of Prairie Lights Books in Iowa City and a modern-day clerihew master, says "If you take more than two minutes for you to make out, it's probably not going to work."
Celebrate Creativity!
Clerihew Day is a prime occasion to test the imagination of your child and stimulate your creativity. Poetry that is cleverly written can help to look at familiar situations from new angles. The most entertaining thing to do is of looking at mundane events from a different perspective or introducing a new twist.
Clerihew poems about today's famous individuals could make great memes that can be used on social media. the latest use of the old-fashioned style. Try this!