To celebrate St. Patrick's Day, the Deseret Morning News is sponsoring a limerick contest.
These traditional little ditties, named after a town in Ireland, have been around for years. So what if no one considers them great poetry — they can be a lot of fun.
Here are the rules:
1. Limericks must be in our hands (not still in the mail) by 5 p.m. on March 2. E-mail them to features@desnews.com or mail them to Limerick Contest, Deseret Morning News, P.O. Box 1257, Salt Lake City, UT 84110. You can also drop them off at our offices (and get a tour of the downtown construction zone while you're at it) at 30 E. 100 South, fourth floor.
2. Limericks should have a Utah theme or connection — whether it's history, culture, landmarks, sports, people or anything else you can think of that has to do with our Life Elevated state. And (do we really have to tell you?) they should be your original work.
3. Limericks are sometimes a bit bawdy (that's not the kind we want) but they don't have to be (that is the kind we want). Remember, good taste in all things!
4. Submit as many limericks as you want (within reason — just stop before the creative juices run out, please). Be sure to include your name, address, phone number and e-mail address, if you have one, with each one.
5. The decision of the judges is both arbitrary (we'll pick the ones we like best) and final (don't try to change our minds).
First prize: $25 gift certificate for Archibald's Restaurant at Gardner Village
Second prize: a nice book on Ireland
Third prize: a CD of Irish songs
Fourth prize: A box of green stuff (Jell-O, spinach pasta, mints, green licorice, etc.)
Fifth prize: A plain green T-shirt; add your own Irish touches.
The luck 'o the Irish to ye!