The author is former pro-wrestler Lanny Poffo. He’s funny . . . he’s heavy-hitting . . . he’s on a mission. Here’s a limerick telling you why:
Tobacco is so problematic, Diseases are so automatic. I’ve seen my friends die And perhaps that is why I’m such a nonsmoking fanatic.
Poffo has found a new "cause for combat" near and dear to his heart and lungs –– "kicking cigarette butt" through his antismoking limericks for children. Inspired by author and fellow children’s poet Shel Silverstein, Poffo’s limericks deliver fierce but fun messages to kids, fans and parents alike. Here’s a limerick (both educational and humorous) about some of the physiological consequences of smoking:
Did you know that the first time you smoke, In addition to making you choke, It burns your lung hairs? And there aren’t any spares –– Healthy cilia make those germs croak.
Poffo’s pro-wrestling trademark was to throw poetry-laden frisbies out to the screaming crowds. Now he hopes to convince kids to avoid or stop smoking. His clever collection of 335 limericks provides ammo to ward off peer pressure by tying heros, idols and legends to the nonsmoking message.
Below is a sample limerick taken from the youngest target age group. Poffo hopes some parents may read the limericks as a bedtime story to inspire and teach their youngsters. For school-age kids, there is a glossary at the back. The hope is that schools may use the book as a tool for learning and improving reading and vocabulary skills.
Mother Hubbard lived sadly alone Except for her dog with that bone. She smoked on the road And in her abode Which reeked like the cheapest cologne.
Finally, here is a sample limerick from the target age group 19+ years (college and university students):
Relativity theories must be That energy equals MC, Then needs to be squared. Smokers cannot be spared –– They forfeit their mass energy.
(All limericks © Lanny Poffo)
