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Meet Gennadiy Gurariy, the author of Live,
Laugh, Limerick: A Whimsical Collection of Over 250 Original Limericks. In this
collection, Genna dives right into traditional limerick style, including gentle
satire, eccentric people, and unexpected puns. His wordplay and clever twists bring
humor to everyday life.
A 5-Star review from Douglas Taylor, “While reading this book,
expect eruptions of laughter. Expect giggles and guffaws. Expect the urge to
interrupt complete strangers to say, "Excuse me, but you have to hear
this. It's just hilarious!" And to then find yourself reading "just
one more" out loud, in a moment of shared laughter. The cover says it all.
Using a timeless art form, Gurariy is, by turns silly and literary, erudite and
bawdy — joyful throughout. This is a book you will buy first for yourself, and
then for your friends. Mirth has a new home in this delightful tome of
contemporary limericks. In these troubled times, this book is a small treasure.”
I caught up with Genna and asked about his writing, his new book, and
more…
Welcome, Genna!
GM: What convinced you that the limerick—history’s most dignified undignified poetic form—was the perfect vessel for your creative ambitions?
GG: I started writing limericks circa 2020 during the turbulent boredom of the COVID confinement. Something about the limerick’s pithy style and irreverent nature proved strangely therapeutic in an otherwise chaotic time. In my younger days, my writing veered towards the verbose, as if word count were a perfect correlate of quality. However, with age came an appreciation for the power of brevity. I explored poetic forms such as the tanka, the haiku, and the cinquain; all of which can convey wisdom and imagery through an economy of words. I encountered philosophers such as Nietzsche and Heraclitus who could pack a succinct aphorism with depth and profundity equivalent to an entire book. Finally, I grew up in a family where laughter, jokes, and witty banter served as a standard form of communication; perhaps as a means of easing life’s many hardships. Thus, standing at the intersection of poetry, humor, and brevity is the small but mighty limerick! So, while creative ambitions can (and should) take many forms, I have found the limerick is a perfect fit for a particular niche and has become a beloved instrument in my poetic toolbox.
GM: After composing more than 300 pieces in strict anapestic meter, did you begin hearing the world in a rhythmic da‑da‑DUM, and if so, how disruptive was that to everyday life?
GG: The answers are “yes” and “very”! Three hundred is what made it into the book, but the true number is considerably higher. Neuroscience has taught us that the brain is remarkably malleable, changing its organization in response to experience and environmental challenges. It appears mine may have been permanently rewired (and perhaps irrevocably damaged) such that the infamous da-da-DUM has become the drumbeat to which I obediently march. When I first began writing limericks, I found a small, online community devoted to the form. In addition to sharing the fruits of our scandalous craft, we occasionally conducted entire conversations about philosophy, politics, current events, and other matters exclusively in limerick form. If that wasn’t concerning enough, I teach a research methods course in psychology and one day found myself writing limericks inspired by the topics I was covering. That’s right, limericks about factorial designs, correlations, hypothesis testing, and more! While these lyrical “gems” did not make it into the book, they routinely make it into my lectures to the delight, confusion, or consternation of my students.
GM: Limericks famously straddle the line between literary cleverness and delightful mischief—how do you keep yours elegantly unruly? GG: The limerick tradition has never shied away from the mischievous, the unruly, or the risqué, and I, in deference to tradition, also explore these bawdy waters in my writing. However, when one of my limericks veers towards the precipice of obscenity, the goal is not shock value nor the pursuit of lewdness for its own sake. Rather, the goal is to be funny, or at least entertaining, with lewd subject matter occasionally serving as a means to that end.
This classic limerick captures the sordid alliance between humor and impropriety.
The limerick packs laughs anatomical
Into space that is quite economical.
But the good ones I've seen
So seldom are clean -
And the clean ones so seldom are comical.
Having spent considerable time pondering what separates the comical from the
colorless, I arrived at the conclusion that lewd material is often funnier when approached indirectly. For example, wrapping a salacious antic in double entendre tends to make for a far better reading experience. Equally satisfying is a limerick that leads the reader toward a risqué punchline while leaving the final inference unstated. The reader is given the necessary pieces along with the honor of assembling those pieces in their own mind. This technique of bringing the reader in as an active accomplice often makes for wittier writing and may be a key ingredient in the recipe of unruly elegance.
GM: Your characters often appear for only five lines, yet feel fully alive—what’s your secret to crafting such brief but memorable literary citizens?
GG: Given that limericks don’t leave much room for character development, I have to rely on the capacity of the human mind to assemble meaning from sparse information. Fortunately, we are naturally skilled at this task. Humans routinely read between the lines, draw inferences, and fill in gaps using our knowledge, expectations, and imagination. Therefore, my task is not to furnish the reader with a complete portrait, but rather to provide a few suggestive details such as a strange occupation, a bizarre habit, or a conspicuous flaw. These details become “descriptive dots” that the reader connects into a mental image whose richness extends far beyond the words on the page. In that sense, a memorable limerick (like other poems and stories) emerges from the collaborative effort between the writing of the author and the imagination of the reader.
GM: Did you ever reach for a thesaurus only to discover it had no suggestions for the rhyme you were desperately trying to force?
GG: Finding words that rhyme is not too daunting a challenge. Assembling those words into an entertaining limerick within the constraints of rhyme, meter, and meaning is considerably harder. Furthermore, if you’re going to force a rhyme, the trick is to ensure that the finished poem doesn’t feel forced. One reason some readers dislike structured verse is that its rhymes can feel shoehorned and unnatural. In the ideal poem, words flow smoothly and fit together like pieces of a puzzle. But yes, there are times when searching for the perfect rhyme can feel like tracking Bigfoot. This challenge arises most often in the fifth and final line of the limerick. A line that, in addition to rhyming with the first two, is often saddled with the
responsibility of carrying the comedic payload. One effective technique can be to start with line 5 and work backwards. In some cases, a rhyme that is sufficiently challenging or innovative can itself become the centerpiece of the poem.
For example:
A golfer
who hailed from Saskatchewan
As for how I managed to rhyme Saskatchewan, you will have to read the book to find out!
GM: Limericks have rules, but they also invite rule‑bending—what’s the most enjoyable structural shenanigan you pulled off?
GG: While I am an insufferable stickler for the rules, sometimes a deliberate violation can itself serve as the punchline. A well-known limerick illustrates this tactic by deliberately sabotaging the rhythm of its final line for comedic effect:
A forgetful old gasman named Dieter,
Who went poking around his gas heater,
Touched a leak with his light;
He blew out of sight—
And, as everyone who knows anything about poetry can tell you, he also ruined the meter.
I too have experimented with the tactic of deliberate and ironic rule breaking. For example, a two-line quasi-limerick about aphasia, a neurological condition characterized by difficulty with speech production.
There once was a man from Malaysia
With a terrible case of aphasia
And that’s it. The missing three lines are the joke. No need to worry about that pesky line five! The book contains a few other instances of rebel limericks that engage in ironic rule-bending. However, the majority of my poems do unfold under strict adherence to the rules.
GM: How do you see your work fitting into the long, occasionally scandalous lineage of limerick writers?
GG: The scandalous reputation of the limerick is one that stands on pure merit. Combining indecency with poetic flair is a powerful recipe, and here the limerick is a master chef. However, indecency is not required. A good limerick can be clean or dirty, witty or absurd, frivolous or thought-provoking. The limericks in my collection are equally varied. Some pursue humor through indecency; others rely on innovative rhymes and word play; a few even veer into scientific or philosophical territory. The governing principle is entertainment above all.
Also, as previously mentioned, I may be the only writer whose verse has attempted to immortalize research methods and statistical techniques. That could be the most scandalous (and nerdiest) of my creative endeavors. Don’t worry, these did not make the book.
GM: What advice do you have for novice limerickists?
GG: I suppose I should begin with the tried-and-true formula of “read, write, revise”. But let me elaborate.
Begin by reading the classics. They can be found strewn across the internet; usually no more than a search or two away. Pay particular attention to the ones you like and try to reflect on what made them enjoyable. Is it the humor, the absurdity, the indecency, the wit, the wordplay, the rhyme, or something else?
Try writing a limerick every day. It’s only five lines; how hard can it possibly be? Scour your life for ideas and inspiration: personal struggles, embarrassing moments, politics, religion, philosophy, current events, movies, pets, your own flaws and foibles. The menu of limerickal fodder is endless!
Learn the craft. Practice the form which includes rhyme AND meter. I know some people find meter to be a dreadful nuisance, but I refuse to compromise on this point! The book contains more detailed instructions on mastering the form. Your early writing need not be polished, but as you learn, return and try revising your previous attempts. As your skills improve and you start feeling more comfortable with the form, try experimenting with other poetic devices: alliteration, assonance, double entendre, enjambment, word play, and increasingly innovative rhymes.
I should warn you that the limerick is poetry’s sugary dessert and can be very addictive. Nonetheless, I urge you to indulge in these delicious twinkies. They will not adversely affect your waistline (though I can make no such promise regarding your reputation).
GM: What’s the most delightfully literary reaction a reader has had—perhaps someone who analyzed a limerick far more seriously than you ever
intended?
GG: The most delightful literary reaction is when a reader is inspired to write a limerick of their own in response to one of mine. This was a regular occurrence in the various limerick forums where I honed my craft. It was not uncommon to see the comment section beneath a limerick flooded with other limericks all exploring or expanding upon the theme of the original. Even more gratifying, several people have told me that reading my work inspired them to start experimenting with the form themselves, and for some, this was their first foray into the world of poetry. This is peak delight! Their descent down the limerick rabbit hole may not have been as deep as mine, but whenever someone discovers a new poetic outlet for self-expression, I consider that a victory for the human race.
GM: This interview would not be complete without a question about Hambone, your beloved canine, who has a large social media following. Tell us about Hambone and how he propels your creative endeavors...
GG: Of course! How can we forget Hambone? Hambone is a pitbull-Staffy mix who foster-failed his way into my life and now owns my furniture. Mr. Bone’s gluttonous nature, expressive face, and cherubic exterior have fueled a steadily growing online following. His antics seem to bring people genuine joy while providing me with another creative outlet. For example, writing funny captions to accompany his many pictures and videos. Furthermore, Hammy routinely entertains his fans with Hamkus (haikus written from his unique perspective), parodies of famous songs and poems, inspirational quotes, and shrewd advice for fellow canines. Stay tuned, some of this material might soon find its way into a book! At the end of the day, I am painfully aware that I stand in his shadow and would never dream of competing with his fame (which is rivaled only by his appetite).
GM: After this grand limerick opus, do you foresee yourself venturing into other forms of poetry, or is the limerick still the greatest medium? What other genres can we look forward to from you?
GG: I’ve always been aesthetically drawn to structured verse and the harmony that arises from rhyme and meter. Paradoxically, I find that constraints serve to kindle my creativity. When writing under constraints, I am barred from taking the path of least resistance and word vomiting my thoughts onto the page. Instead, I must discover unique ways of making those thoughts fit within the strict confines of the preselected form. Rising to this challenge often entails novel (and arguably more creative) variants of phrasing and imagery.
Over the years, I’ve experimented with many forms including odes, ballads, sonnets, haikus, and villanelles. Each form offers its own possibilities and unique avenues for poetic expression. I’m currently compiling a collection of poems written across different periods of my life. Whereas the limericks capture my inner frivolity, this collection is more reflective. Its poems represent my attempts to explore mortality, gratitude, love, nature, loss, and change. In short, life’s endless variety of grandeur and difficulty. If nothing else, perhaps this collection will help rehabilitate my reputation should it be marred by the indecorous limericks.
Bio: Born in Kharkiv Ukraine, Gennadiy Gurariy immigrated to the United States at the age of six. Growing up, he was exposed to traditional, structured poetry, the kind that rhymed and told stories in perfect meter. Those early encounters with verse would later develop into a lifelong passion for poetic forms, humor, and the music of language. Gennadiy earned his Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Nevada, Reno and has conducted research on the neuroscience of attention and perception. He currently teaches psychology at Ohio University but has not let his scientific career get in the way his poetic explorations. A longtime writer, Gennadiy’s work has appeared in The Lyric and The Saturday Evening Post, where he is a two-time winner of the magazine’s Limerick Contest. In Live, Laugh, Limerick: A Whimsical Collection of Over 250 Original Limericks, Gennadiy celebrates the raucous spirit of the limerick, where wit fuses with rhyme and ribald humor. This collection reflects his belief that laughter is a vital part of understanding what it means to be human and a key dimension of human psychology. Gennadiy currently lives in Ohio with Hambone, his loyal (and somewhat judgmental) canine companion.
About the Book: In Live, Laugh, Limerick: A Whimsical Collection of Over 300 Original Limericks, Gennadiy Gurariy revives the timeless charm of the limerick. Playful, exuberant, and occasionally improper, these witty five-liners celebrate the humor, humanity, and absurdity of life. Whether shared among friends or enjoyed in solitude, this collection will delight all who revel in the music of language and the joy of laughter.
Available locally from
Little Professor Book Center, Court Street, Athens, Ohio
Available on Amazon
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