Hammrick

by Meg on June 21, 2006

There once was a hammie named Joe
Who ate all his O’s on the go,

He was carried around
His munchies, profound!

He could barely wave ‘Cheerio!"

Wee_hammle

OMG, I know you can write one better than that, Winnie!

{ 91 comments }

1 lemura 06.21.06 at 8:58 pm

Cutie pie!

2 you guys r silly 06.21.06 at 8:59 pm

oh my god….look at his wee tiny *SCALP* through his little hair!!!
DOES IT GET ANY *BETTER* THAN THIS LITTLE AND HIS CHEERIO ???!!!???

3 kariboo 06.21.06 at 8:59 pm

hahaha..
i wondered about the text
then i scrolled down
and saw the o!
way to lyric meg :)

(yay first post?)

4 blueberries4me 06.21.06 at 9:00 pm

wee, tiny, windblown hammie

5 Laura 06.21.06 at 9:01 pm

Perhaps Michelle (of the kitties in boxes in the driveway fame) will turn her creative abilities to crafting a poem? Your limerick is pretty cute, tho, Meg. Now I have visions of little hammies with British accents….

6 Muffin Head 06.21.06 at 9:02 pm

…the go go power of Cheerios! ;)

7 zelda 06.21.06 at 9:14 pm

Dear gawd, the Cheerio is almost as big as his HEAD!

8 Yoanne 06.21.06 at 9:17 pm

The teeeny weeny tiny nails!! ::faints::

9 Schaaz 06.21.06 at 9:22 pm

This picture has been enlarged to show texture….of both the Cheerio AND Hammie!

10 warrior rabbit 06.21.06 at 9:39 pm

Well, it’s not a limerick, but…

Oh, oh, oh, Who’s that hammie with the crunchy goodness,
Gnawing wafery rounded munchies like theyz almost’ outta fashion,
With such teeny weeny hands to grip a breakfast that is smashin’
Prompts a cute a-cravin’, lovin’, obsessin’ crowd to say We-love-you-Joe
(We-thaaank-CO)

11 semanticAntics 06.21.06 at 9:42 pm

Isn’t that a gerbil or mouse?

MSNBC’s Animal Track picture thing is new today. Bat ear foxes, tamarins (two in a persons hand), a pug…

12 M- 06.21.06 at 9:51 pm

sooooo cute… it should be illegal to be soooooo cute!!!!

13 Aubrey 06.21.06 at 9:52 pm

There once was a hamster named Joe
His master’s palm he had made his home
His owner once made a fist
And Joe he narrowly missed
Yet where else has he to go?

14 juggl 06.21.06 at 10:02 pm

Does not usually the larger thing eat the smaller thing? Since both elements are almost the same size in this picture maybe the hammie was hunting the cheerio in a pack with other hammies. This photo is so cute I just fainted.

15 juggle geese 06.21.06 at 10:03 pm

Does not usually the larger thing eat the smaller thing? Since both elements are almost the same size in this picture maybe the hammie was hunting the cheerio in a pack with other hammies. This photo is so cute I just fainted.

16 hamster 06.21.06 at 10:17 pm

rules 11, 14, and 15 have been met. this is the CCT (coveted cuteness trifecta).

17 Aubrey 06.21.06 at 10:20 pm

Wee claws, BEF: all focused on a toasted breakfast snack. It would be cute if it wasn’t clear that that O was about to disintegrate like a vampire on the wrong side of a crucifix.

That Cheerio hasn’t a chance against his mighty hammie powers.

18 Norty 06.21.06 at 10:35 pm

♦weeee toes♦
sigh

19 Laurie C 06.21.06 at 10:46 pm

What is it about Cheerios? My tabby goes apeshit for them. They’re like crack to her. Luckily, being round, I can toss one for her to chase down before she comes hurling herself back at me for more.

20 Jessica 06.21.06 at 10:48 pm

adorab-ham. i could write a better poem than that though. Here it goes:
Little ham, what are you doing?
you most surely aren’t sewing
your little mouth is moving to and fro
why, your eating a cheerio!

that breakfast food is practically bigger than you
but your just doing what little hams do
your nibble nibble crunching all day long
it might even inspire me to write a song

okay, so maybe i can’t…

21 Tomi C 06.21.06 at 11:05 pm

A hamster so loved his O’s
He’d take them wherever he’d go
When he ran out of food
The fingers looked good
Oh then how the owner would grown

22 Elizabeth 06.21.06 at 11:51 pm

When Cuteness Kills… (Or Sweeney Hamster)

Fear the small hamsters so cute
When on your palm tiny paws root
Those cereal killers
Like animal fillers
You might be their new favorite loot

23 JR 06.21.06 at 11:52 pm

I think that’s a gerbil. I’ve had both and it doesn’t look like a hamster (unless maybe it’s a Dwarf Hamster?).

24 Ruby 06.22.06 at 12:23 am

that is a baby Djungarian hamster… there’s one sitting on my desk right now :) but she doesn’t like Cheerios… just yogurt lids! yumm!

25 Chilli 06.22.06 at 1:03 am

*delurk* the toes AAAAARRRRRGGGGG THE TOES!!!!! *relurk*

26 Lizzy 06.22.06 at 1:09 am

There once was a hammie named Noel
Who stole Cheerios out of the bowl.
With many wee little bites
He’d nibble them out of site
And head back and grab some more.

27 Mia 06.22.06 at 1:30 am

awwwwwwww so cute! so tiny

28 Dara 06.22.06 at 2:14 am

c’mon you guys…meg’s hamrick was the closest to scanning…

29 Claire 06.22.06 at 2:59 am

AHEM!!! *Cough*

There once was a hammie so small
That next to him bugs would look tall
He rests in your hand
With lil’toes so grand
And that’s why he is the greatest of all!

30 Dara 06.22.06 at 3:02 am

still not scanning…although really cude, claire!

31 Claire 06.22.06 at 3:04 am

Crap a rat. The hammerick sounds better without the “and” in the last stanza. Oh well T_T

32 Dara 06.22.06 at 3:06 am

you are correct! hee…love the hamm(e)ricks!

33 TheIdleReceptionist 06.22.06 at 4:29 am

There once was a hammie who nibbled
On a giant Cheerio kibble
His twee little frame
Put the Japanese to shame
Oh, crap, I hope I didn’t start up a quibble…

34 Dara 06.22.06 at 4:31 am

no quibbles, but no scansion, either…sorry to belabor…maybe we should do haiku?

35 Aubrey 06.22.06 at 5:24 am

“Ham eats Cheerios
Sees his future in a palm
Low cholesterol”

Look – I haven’t written one of these since junior high school!

36 EricaE 06.22.06 at 5:27 am

Hamku

Dainty paws grasping
A rounded crunchy morsel
Cute? That’s a given

Hamerick

There was a young hammie named Jude
Who’s body was round as his food
Perched high on a palm
He crunched without qualm
Then let out a belch… How rude

Hammet (Shakespearean)

Oh hammie thou art so round, and fluffy
None can compare with the grace of thy ways
Dainty paws hold round cereals puffy
Cuteness, I’ll be thy thrall for all my days

Oh thy beedy eyes gleeming onyx bright
Your fixed gaze is not for me

37 EricaE 06.22.06 at 5:28 am

Ack! I accidently posted before finishing the hammet.
*Sigh* I was making it up as I went along. I will finish it tomorrow. Too sleepy now.

38 EricaE 06.22.06 at 6:10 am

Hammet (Shakespearean) -finished. I was going to write a Petrarchan hammet too but I thought that might be a bit much. ;o)

Oh hammie thou art so round, and fluffy
None can compare with the grace of thy ways
Dainty paws hold round cereals puffy
Cuteness, I’ll be thy thrall for all my days

Oh thy beedy eyes gleeming onyx bright
Your fixed gaze is not for me forsooth
Only round morsels can cause their rare light
As thou cruncheth with tiny hammie tooth

Complacently thou sit-eth in my hand
For me thou shalt never have a one thought
Thy fluffy countenence ever so grand,
Munching merrily on thy fleshy plot

And so into the box I reach once more,
So I might feed thee hammie I adore

39 Cal 06.22.06 at 6:51 am

There once was a hammy named Joe
Who set out to eat a whole O

As he nibbled his lunch
The gawkers ogled each munch

‘Til all that was left was on “Oh!”

40 Piggalette 06.22.06 at 6:53 am

I like EricaE’s hammerick best so far. Keep ‘em coming! :)

41 loopy 06.22.06 at 9:24 am

Marvelous Hammet, Erica! Masterful job!

42 Dan 06.22.06 at 10:15 am

That’s a gerbil. His eyes are more on the sides. I have a dwarf hammy and they don’t look like that.

But he’s cute!

43 Regina 06.22.06 at 10:17 am

I totally love the *intense* look of concentration in his beady little eyes…and the teeny tiny wee claws extended into the helpless O

reg

44 dwine 06.22.06 at 11:54 am

that’s all very well but I’m waiting for my daily fix of bun. WHERE IS IT?!?

45 Theo 06.22.06 at 12:20 pm
46 Camille 06.22.06 at 12:26 pm

This critter is not a palm-filler
Is he hamster? No, he looks gerbil-ler
But he munches those O’s
Which he holds with his toes –
You might call him a cereal killer!

47 EricaE 06.22.06 at 1:15 pm

Why thank-you, Loopy.

A dash of insomnia and English Literature BA… That’s my recipe for disaster… erm hammetry.

Kids, just say no to a degree in English or you’ll wind up like me.

Oh… the horror. ;o)

48 Donna 06.22.06 at 1:29 pm

Num num num num num num num num…

Awwwwwwwww! :)

49 torie 06.22.06 at 1:33 pm

HEEHEE…he looks as if he is putting a spell on the cheerio with that look in his eye…

50 Bekkie 06.22.06 at 1:55 pm

“anyone who tries to steal this Cheerio will be VERY VERY sorry!! ….and I don’t care how much bigger he is! I’ll bite his knee caps! . . . or his toenails, or the bottom of his foot! Nevertheless, he will be VERY sorry to have messed with MY Cheerio!!”

51 A thinker 06.22.06 at 2:19 pm

A hammy, or gerbil, we know
We can’t help but gasp aloud “Oh”
When we look at the size
Of his miniature prize
A ham-tire-sized Cheerio.

/sorry, couldn’t resist joining in the fun.

52 Dara 06.22.06 at 2:42 pm

This is to A thinker…finally, a hammerick that scans…yay. I can stop now (Comp. Lit. PhD candidate, much more ocd about forms)!

53 Theo 06.22.06 at 2:42 pm

Seconded, Dara.

54 Deborah 06.22.06 at 2:45 pm

Ahem.

There is a cute hammie called Moe.
Who doesn’t have nary a foe.
‘Cept one we can’t see, that’s Flo.
Flo tries and tries, but nooooo
She can’t get her paws on Moe’s Oh.

55 Dara 06.22.06 at 2:46 pm

Theo, you’re humble and loveable…bless you, sir…cronsch.

56 A thinker 06.22.06 at 2:50 pm

Thanks, Guys. It bothers me too, so therefore… :)

57 ebee 06.22.06 at 3:05 pm

Doth seem like a baby gerbil to me. Look at his hind feetses, they are long for jumping like gerbils do. Sweetie.

58 Theo 06.22.06 at 3:13 pm

“Humble”???
That’s a new one.

59 A thinker 06.22.06 at 3:15 pm

*snort*

We’re holding in our laughter, teho.

60 Dara 06.22.06 at 3:21 pm

No Underdog fans? Underham? Underbun? Sweet Polly Purebred?

61 EricaE 06.22.06 at 4:18 pm

What is all this about hamricks that “scan?”

-confuzzled

62 kayte 06.22.06 at 4:19 pm

A fuzzball who loved O’s of oat,
Rode his owner’s palm like a boat.
With his species in doubt,
Dear CO fans devout –
Is he hamster or gerbil? Let’s vote!

63 Theo 06.22.06 at 4:21 pm

EricaE — it’s to do with proper syllable count & the rhyme pattern. 8 8 5 5 8, AABBA.

64 Theo 06.22.06 at 4:21 pm

(Good illustration, Kayte!)

65 A thinker 06.22.06 at 4:26 pm

not quite…

66 Theo 06.22.06 at 4:29 pm

(it’s close…)

67 Laurie C 06.22.06 at 4:33 pm

There once was a hamster so wee
All around him could only say “Squee!”
So he paid them all back
With his Cheerio snack
Eating cutely as ever could be.

68 A thinker 06.22.06 at 4:38 pm

yeah, Laurie C…

69 little gator 06.22.06 at 4:59 pm

There once was hamster so cute
That the photo of him was a beaut.
His name it was Joe.
He munched on his O.
Then shoved it all right up his snoot.

70 Theo 06.22.06 at 5:03 pm

oh fer cryin…

71 EricaE 06.22.06 at 5:27 pm

Theo,

That’s what I thought. I made sure the Hammet and Hamku were correct but fudged on the Hammrick. *shrugs* I suppose I should care but at 2 a.m. I was just going for the cheap giggle. ;o)

72 EricaE 06.22.06 at 5:33 pm

(For winging it I was pretty close. There I added to the last line. 88558 AABBA Voila! ;o) )

There was a young hammie named Jude
Who’s body was round as his food
Perched high on a palm
He crunched without qualm
Then he let out a belch… How rude

73 hrh.squeak 06.22.06 at 6:18 pm

There once was a hammie so bold
He insisted his treats all be holed
He sat on the hand
His demeanor so bland
And proclaimed to us all “You’ve been PWNED!”

(OK, pwned doesn’t *quite* rhyme, but the content demanded it be there. Sorry.)

74 Claire 06.22.06 at 6:35 pm

Mine follows the 88558 syllable scheme if you drop the “And” from the last stanza…

There once was a hammie so small
That next to him bugs would look tall
He rests in your hand
With lil’toes so grand
That’s why he is the greatest of all!

75 A thinker 06.22.06 at 6:47 pm

Wow, Meg, look what you started… ;)

76 Kristin 06.22.06 at 8:01 pm

CLASSIC!!!!!

77 D 06.22.06 at 8:46 pm

soo cute… =)

78 Nova 06.23.06 at 3:58 am

he waits, then he gnaws

cheerio on a lifeline

hamster in a palm

79 Nova 06.23.06 at 4:05 am

btw, I loved all the poetry, in all forms. Sorry I didn’t see the gerbil post before I composed.

80 Gwyndolyn O'Shaughnessy 06.23.06 at 4:41 pm

Scansion is more than just the number of syllables; it’s the pattern the syllables fall into:
There WAS a small HAMmie named JOE
Whose HEAD near-ly FIT in an O
He NIB-bl’d his WAY
Round the OUT-side (they SAY)
Now JOE is out-SIDE the whole O

If you have to force a syllable into an unnatural point in the rhythm, it doesn’t scan:
“There ONCE was a CAT named Gwynd’-LYN”
… see? It doesn’t naturally fit the “one TWO three four FIVE six sev’n EIGHT” of a proper limerick. The syllable pattern is distorted from normal speech, since the name is “GWYN-do-lyn.”

Limericks get extra points for scansion, cleverness (such as puns), exceptional alliteration, internal rhyme, and (sometimes) naughtiness. Limericks tend to be categorized as doggerel, because they’re relatively easy to create … unlike, say, sonnets, with their iambic pentameter (iirc), fourteen-line ABAB … CC requirements.

(Liberal Arts education, yes … You did want fries, right?)

81 finn 06.23.06 at 4:57 pm

we need a poll of frustrated english degrees here.

82 Claire 06.23.06 at 6:44 pm

I STILL say that mine scans. *pouts like the frustrated poet she is*

83 Theo 06.23.06 at 6:51 pm

Heh.

http://www.squidgrid.com/images/misc/yeemyeemyeem.jpg
*WE* shall scan your limericks, mortal, and should they not pass our muster…

84 hrh.squeak 06.23.06 at 8:28 pm

mine scans, o yeemyeemyeem of scansion doom.

85 EricaE 06.24.06 at 2:46 am

Eeep! Theo, call off your minions. *holds up her poetic license, hand trembling slightly*
All m’ papers are in order guv’ner.

86 Robin 06.24.06 at 7:03 pm

this almost made me cry- my gerbil chip used to eat cheerios… that was all he would he right before he died

87 Dara 06.27.06 at 4:39 pm

I am honored to be a minion of Theo, and a not-quite-fry-wielding Lit PhD candidate…[bows head, waits for dubbing {or drubbing} to begin].

88 Theo 06.27.06 at 4:44 pm

Eek… this isn’t THAT sort of website.
;)

So, OK, how does this work?… rise, Sir/Lady Dara. (Stupid intarnets.)

89 molly 08.26.06 at 12:48 am

Rule Number 14 put to the max!

90 molly 08.26.06 at 12:48 am

Rule Number 14 put to the max!

91 Sariko 08.30.06 at 11:58 pm

Nobody else seems to have said it, but this cute little guy is 1) full grown and 2) called a robo hamster. They sell them at Petsmart.

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