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Monday, October 15, 2012

Open Link Monday: my Mad Kane limerick

Once again, for Open Link Monday at Imaginary Garden with Real Toads, I'm using the limerick I wrote for Madeleine Kane's Limerick-off. This time my little rhyme has an explanation.
From family archives


My great-aunts were very refined.
When visiting I was inclined
To curtsey so low
That often I’d go
Flat down on my girlish behind.
*
From Sears catalog online
I loved my mother’s Victorian-born aunts, and knew they loved me, but I could be terrified of them as well.
When "the aunties" hosted a gathering of ladies, my sister and I were given the job of passing plates of cookies, tarts and hors d’ouevre, as well as offering tiny silver trays of cream and sugar, and wielding silver sugar tongs. "Two lumps, please."
As we weren’t particularly graceful (let’s face it, we were born klutzes) this “honor,” which was intended to contribute to our ladylike upbringing, was usually two hours of torture during which we were expected to smile sweetly at all the old dears who visited the aunties.

19 comments:

Kerry O'Connor said...

Haha! Lovely juxtaposition between the formality and the reality of growing up.

Abin Chakraborty said...

funny. reminds me of those old finishing schools for women!

Helen said...

Precious!! Funny too!!

Jo said...

How amazing to read about your Victorian aunts, Kay. Passing those beautiful plates, sugar bowls and creamers around would have terrified me witless. I hope you're doing well. Please pat dear Lindy for us all. Blessings, Jo

Sherry Blue Sky said...

I LOVE the limerick, and also the description of "the aunties". My grandma held tea parties, with dainties and decorum, and I once MORTIFIED her by responding to a question with "HAH? Miss Hicks?" I heard about it for years!

Anonymous said...

This is super charming, Kay. Much fun. K.

Mary B. Mansfield said...

I'm pretty sure I would have been landing on my behind as well. A fun bit of remembrance here!

Laura said...

quite a memory...my family was never so formal.

Susan said...

Like wearing high heels, curtseys take practice. So do courtesies! Glad you could give us the limerick you-gotta-laugh perspective on it.

kaykuala said...

I like your style Kay! Hilarious! The wit in limericks is very obvious!

Hank

Scarlet said...

Ha..ha..I enjoyed this Kay ~

Margaret said...

this “honor,” which was intended to contribute to our ladylike upbringing, was usually two hours of torture

I'm sure they adored your ways... this is a lovely limerick!

Unknown said...

This brings back memories of my Great Aunts, as well. The humour is great!

Susie Clevenger said...

It is so hard to be formal under the best conditions, but put it with the wiggles of a child..torture. lol I love your verbal snapshot of your upbringing. Thank you for using my photograph Sunday. It was such a moving poem.

Barbara said...

I had a great aunt Loretta something like yours. And I was (am) a klutz. Oh and I laughed out loud at your limerick too! Thank you for visiting my poem!

Unknown said...

Not always a fan of limericks, I adore this one. So much fun!

Lynette Killam said...

I love this limerick, Kay...not surprised to see you're good at them.

I do love a formal tea and have a lovely tea set to put out, thanks to our friend Sherry. My mother always bade me mind my manners and learn to hold a cup and saucer properly, in the event the Queen would come for tea. Oddly enough, she never did...lol!

Jim said...

I never had an aunt like that, Kay. My mom and one aunt were city girls but not victorian. But I could just 'see' yours.

Sorry being late in my return. We actually are travelling, to London (UK) and not Texas.
..

Rick.Daddario said...

aloha Kay - fun limerick - the conflict between what is expected and the approval of a family love relationship - trying to live up to that expectation - is a tough one. that you can now write a fun limerick about it says to me love may have won out - cool on that. aloha.