This short poem can be examined in the same ways as others I have posted this month. It is a little difficult for ESL learners and deals with an adult subject. Young and older men are more comfortable discussing this subject.

Limerick Aphrodisiac

Sear-ching for the ultimate nostrum?
Resort to a young cow's colostrum.
Hun-ting ginseng root?
It's a question quite moot.
Vim-vigor where you thought you had lost some.

Robin 1998

Special things to note in this poem:

1.Nostrum is an archaic word for drug or medicine.
2.Colostrum is the pinkish first milk of an animal, a very special and healthful drink as it contains many antibodies. Thus it may be a general tonic or elixir and not just an aphrodisiac.
3.Ginseng root is used as a medicine, a health tonic and aphrodisiac in much of NE Asia with growing popularity in Western countries.
4. Moot is an old and strange word and unfortunately gets used in two ways: meaning debatable or debatable & doubtful. In this poem I use it as meaning debatable or of great interest.
5. Vim-vigor means energy or power, here referring to ones sexual feelings.
6. A limerick is a special poem design with the first two lines rhyming with the last. I guess it originated near Limerick town Ireland. These poems are usually comical, often sexual.
7. In this poem I split sear-ching, hun-ting, vim-vigor with hyphens to emphasize the pattern of syllables I want the reader to use. Try reading the poem without the hyphens and you will see what I mean.
8. Ask students to count the number of syllables in each line to see the general pattern or structure.
9. For a library or computer assignment ask students to find their favourite limericks or compose new ones and bring them in to class where they can be performed and posted.
Copyright 2005 Robin Tim Day