What's St. Patrick's Day without sing-songy limericks to add to the festivities?

A style of poetry originating in Ireland, limericks are short, humorous poems. We're looking for clean, family-friendly rhymes to publish on March 17.

There is a rhythm to writing a limerick. Generally, it's a poem of five lines with the first, second and last lines — each between seven and 10 syllables — rhyming with each other. The third and fourth lines — each between five and seven syllables — also rhyme.

Need an example? Here's a popular one you may already know:

"Hickory, dickory, dock

The mouse ran up the clock

The clock struck one

The mouse ran down

Hickory, dickory, dock"

We welcome adults and children to create funny, witty limericks to share with our readers; we'll choose our favorites to run in the paper. The deadline is March 6.

Send your name, age, phone number, address and original limerick to: Limericks, Island Life, The Honolulu Advertiser, P.O. Box 3110, Honolulu, HI 96802; or e-mail it to zserrano@honoluluadvertiser.com with "Limericks" in the subject line; or fax to 525-8055.