May 12 is the birthday of Edward Lear, the father of the modern day limerick. Lear”s book of nonsense poetry is a classic of humorous poetry and his poem The Owl and the Pussycat is one of the most loved poems in the English language.

What better way to celebrate than by writing your own limerick? If you”ve got a sense of humor about your writing, you might find it fun to enter your limerick in the monthly limerick contest at www.limerickcontests.com. There”s a $25 first prize, a $15 second prize and 2 honourable mentions that receive their limerick on an award plaque. Each month”s contest features a different subject, with deadline of the last day of the month. There”s a $4 entry fee per limerick – not much for bragging rights to the winners.