How does the man from nantucket joke go

Every limerick consists of 5 lines, with the first, second, and fifth line having syllables, and the third and forth having The last word of the first, second, and fifth line must rhyme, as must the last words of the third and fourth line.

Most of the limericks that are going to be worth talking about are not the kinds of things you would want to say in front of your parents. This form of comedy is known as Ribaldry or Blue Comedy. X-rated comedy can be looked down upon by comedy snobs, but there are a large number of people who find these sorts of jokes funny, and not all of them are teenage boys.

This is likely because of the prudishness that we have towards sex in our society. We have created a social taboo around the topic. Breaking the taboo in such an unapologetic way causes a shock which some react to with laughter. The exact origins of the limerick are unknown, they were likely spoken between friends long before anywhere written down.

But this first published limerick came about in the 18th century. Of these, perhaps the two most famous [4] [5] appeared, respectively, in the Chicago Tribune and the New York Press :.

The many ribald versions of the limerick are the basis for its lasting popularity. In the many vulgar versions, the Mythopoeia protagonist is typically portrayed as a well-hung, hypersexualized persona. Many variations on the theme are possible because of the ease of rhyming Nantucket with certain vulgar phrases.

The following example comes from Immortalia: An anthology of American ballads, sailors' songs, cowboy songs, college songs, parodies, limericks, and other humorous verses and doggerel , published in The poem has become a staple of American humor, both as an iconic example of dirty poetry and as a joking example of fine art, whose vulgarity and simple form provide a surprise contrast to an expected refinement.

Some examples:. The Straight Dope homepage. Filed under:. By Cecil Adams Mar 8, Reddit Pocket Flipboard Email. Dear Cecil: I've never been much of a poetry buff, but there are two poems that have been bugging me for years. Willie H. Why is it called a restroom, anyway? How did public libraries get started? Thanks for signing up!