Silly Poetry Friday 8

Today's sample of silly poems was inspired by a fascinating lecture I attended last night at the Lillian H Smith Library, home of the Osborne Collection of Early Children's Books. The lecture was conducted by Dr. Andrew Biswell, an award-winning author and lecturer from Manchester Metropolitan University. His subject of discussion was ever so delicious: Edward Gorey, His Antecedents and Affinities. And for those in the city and fascinated with all things Gorey, the works of this master of the macabre will be on display until December 7, 2007. Don't miss it!

One thing I could not help but notice about some of the people attending the lecture – so many of them looked like they were a walking Gorey illustration! Lots of gents with white bushy beards and somewhat disheveled clothing, and older ladies with a tad too much make-up sporting lavish scarves. Another wonderful thing about attending the lecture was that I ran into a librarian I used to work with many years ago at the Toronto Public Library, as well as a lovely lady who was my instructor of English Literature when I was studying Library Techniques at Sheridan College. A delightful trip down memory lane.

Edward Gorey not only created cosy but sinister illustrations, he also wrote stories and yes, silly (and sometimes quite dark) poems. I'm going to share with you some silly limericks from  a work entitled The Listing Attic. This work is part of a larger collection in a book called  Amphigorey, published by G.P. Putnam's Sons.

Comments

[Beth]

Well, Edward Gorey certainly had a strange (but somewhat) delightful mind!

[Patricia]

Beth, I'm showing you the much more tame limericks. Gorey was very well known for writing and illustrating the most wretched tales about little children coming to the most horrific ends. Ghastly and delightful for those with a twisted sense of humour!

[R J Keefe]

Love the limericks. Two are in French, and the one about Trieste is great fun to enunciate. I also like the one about the "stalwart and hairy" Harvard undergrads. Edward Gorey and artist Larry Rivers were roommates at Harvard - I think.

[John Mutford]

Btw, you can read the entire Gashlycrumb Tinies at: http://members.aol.com/emarko/gorey.html I'm also partial to "The Curious Sofa".

[Elizabeth]

What fun. Love them

[Kate S.]

Thanks for the tip-off about the Gorey exhibit. I will make sure to get there for a look before it shuts down. I wish I'd had the wherewithal to attend that lecture. It sounds fascinating!

[pat bruckmann]

Gorey's Harvard room mate was Frank O'Hara.

[Ian D. Marsden]

Isn't Gorey just the greatest? Anybody who can draw like that and rhyme quibblings, siblings and dribblings and pull it off is a genius in my book. :)

[Stephen W]

Out of curiosity, what antecedents and affinities were mentioned in the lecture? I love Gorey's stuff, but have little idea of his influences.

[Patricia]

Stephen, one of Gorey's major influences was some French silent film director, and I'm very embarrassed to say I can't remember his name. If I can remember it, I promise I'll post it on my blog.

[Robin]

The French silent film director this person is trying to think of is 'Feuillade' - Louis Feuillade, I think.