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The Lost Clerihews of Paul Ingram... Found!

Emily Woodbury
/
Iowa Public Radio
Paul Ingram wearing a clerihew in Iowa Public Radio's Iowa City studio

A clerihew is a four-line biographical poem invented by Edward Clerihew Bentley. Paul Ingram, who buys books for Prairie Lights Book Store in Iowa City, says he’s been writing them down for years “when they come to him.”

You know Paul Ingram, Prairie Lights is his Kingdom, Where the lost shopper stands While Paul talks with his hands - Charity Nebbe

He’s just published many of those in his first book “The Lost Clerihews of Paul Ingram.” He talks with Charity Nebbe during this Talk of Iowa interview about clerihew as a form of verse and also shares some of his favorites. 

Today during the show, we asked you to send your clerihews. Here are some of our favorites:

Pablo emailed: George Armstrong Custer, Did all he could muster, But there wasn't much to do, Against an army of angry Sioux

Dale emailed: Valentino Liberace, Wore only Versace, With bangles and spangles all around his loins, He ended up married outside of Des Moines

captainawesomepants tweeted: Charity Nebbe talked up a bevy, 'til the emerald ash borer, then she talked only of horror...

  Mike emailed: Barack Obama, Eats at La Casa Blanca, He's one cool dude, Who digs Mexican food!

Jan emailed: Charity Nebbe is not at all flabby. She likes Iowa food shows, so we can find good grows.

Kurt emailed: Paul Ingram, Laughed at my gingham, Preferring to pose, With an upturned nose

Susan emailed: A girl named Susan, once went a boozen, She took off on her bike and returned on a trike!!

Ron called in with this clerihew: Ronald McDonald, You’re not a real Ronald, 'Cause when we chase to the cut, You’re such a weight in the butt

Lindsey Moon is IPR's Senior Digital Producer
Charity Nebbe is the host of IPR's Talk of Iowa