A Poem. "Old Lady Knickers"

Roses are red.
Violets are blue.
Ethels are green.

Okay, here’s my attempt at a “Joke Poo” titled “Fido’s Feelings,” riffing on the original poem’s structure and unexpected color association:

Joke Poo: Fido’s Feelings

Bones are white.
Balls are red.
Squirrels are… misunderstood.

Alright, let’s dive into the poetic depths of “Old Lady Knickers.”

Analysis:

Structure: The joke uses the classic “Roses are red, violets are blue…” poem structure. This sets an expectation for a rhyming, predictable conclusion.
Subversion: The humor comes from the unexpected and nonsensical final line. Instead of a color and a rhyming phrase related to “blue,” we get “Ethels are green.” There’s no apparent logic or connection.
Key Elements: The key elements are:
- Poetry (specifically a well-known format)
- Rhyme and expectation
- Color association
- Nonsense/Absurdity
- Name Association.

Enrichment & New Humor Piece:

Let’s play with the “name association” and the slight bit of wordplay in the poem. We will create a limerick that relies on a factual tidbit to create humor:

Title: The Curious Case of Ethyl and Leaded Green

There once was a lady named Ethel,
Whose wardrobe was quite supplemental.
Her green, rather bright,
Due to lead, shone a light,
“Thanks Tetra, my outfits are lethal!”

Explanation:

Factual Tidbit: Ethyl is a component of Tetraethyllead, used to be a common additive in gasoline to improve octane ratings. This had a large presence between the 1920’s and 1970’s.
Wordplay: We connect “Ethyl” (the name in the original poem) with “Tetraethyllead” and “green” and how some early paints containing lead had a vibrant green color.
Humor: The humor arises from the unexpected connection between an old lady, fashion, and the dangers of leaded additives. The over the top tone and the lady’s cavalier attitude towards the leathal elements are what drive the joke home.

The goal is to enrich the original joke’s absurdity by layering in a factual element that, while interesting, also serves to make the final punchline even more ridiculous.