Smart Fun with the OED

It gave me great pleasure, while reading the Hoefler & Frere-Jones blog, to stumble on a project that someone has undertaken re-writing every entry in the entire Oxford English Dictionary in Limerick Form. It made my whole day.

Here are some entries I particularly enjoyed. Say au revoir to your afternoons, friends...

abecedarius

A verse called an abecedarius
Begins every line with the various
Consecutive letters.
Demanding, these fetters
Encumber—it's rarely hilarious.

An abecedarius is difficult at best and easily lends itself to tortured rhymes and twisted meter. The idea is to begin each line with the next letter of the alphabet.

Biarritz

In the southwest of France, there it sits:
The exquisite resort Biarritz.
By the Bay of Biscay
Women languidly lay
In the sand, showing off their great tans.

ceftazidime

Since ceftazidime cured my infection,
I've been putting my drugs to inspection.
Cymbalta? That's great!
Allegra? First rate!
Now to cure my dysfunctile erection...

(sef-TAZ-i-dime) is used to treat enterobacterial infections.

abrupt

That which suddenly comes to an end,
Like a greeting too brief from a friend,
Or flat ground, at steep rises —
An end by surprise is
Abrupt