It's Black, It's White, and It Rhymes

Posted by Kathleen Torello 
 
Noticing a distinct trend of women Rotarians wearing wearing black and white jackets, President Janet thought it might be fun if everyone wore them on the same day. Choosing her library retirement date of September 30 as an appropriate day to have some fun, she announced her plan to the club. And what were the men to do? They were invited to compose limericks which started with the lines "There once were some women Rotarians, whose jackets were quite authoritarian."

Apparently gender has no boundaries in the Ithaca Rotary Club, because soon women were writing limericks (Jean McPheeters not only wrote eight, she offered them to the highest bidders), while men asked if they, too, could wear black and white.

Mike Brown, club photographer, was able to get a group shot of the women. The following limericks were submitted. Kudos to all who had fun on black and white and limerick day and extra points to those who figured out that Rotarian rhymes with Librarian!

 

There once were some women Rotarians

Whose jackets were quite authoritarian.

But they wore high heels

And had sex appeal

Too bad we are octogenarians.

                  Janet Steiner

There once were some women Rotarians

Whose jackets were quite authoritarian.

They work black and wore white

And indeed quite a sight

To support President Janet, our librarian.

                  Bob Langhans

There once were some women Rotarians

Whose jackets were quite authoritarian.

The men all experienced unease

Their silly President's whim to appease

For you see, she was a LIBRARIAN!

                  Shirley Egan

There once were some women Rotarians

Whose jackets were quite authoritarian.

They asked the men to rhyme

And how you hear them whine

As they don't want to seem contrarian.

                  Alan Cohen

There once were some women Rotarians

Whose jackets were quite authoritarian.

And if your thought for the day

Was over a minute, let's say

They'd inevitably turn contrarian.

                  Gary Stewart

There once were some women Rotarians

Whose jackets were quite authoritarian.

What's this black and white?

And ancient sect or a rite?

No, we're simply ardent janizarians.

                  Mary Berens

There once was a gal, Janet Steiner,

Of librarians no one was finer.

Wherever you look

She is giving a book

(And by accident, once, to a minor).

                  Dave Flaccus

There once was a certain Rotarian

His jacket was quite make- you -stare-ian.

White dots upon black

He stood out from the pack

Of Dalmatians he raised down in Darien.

                  Joanne Florino

There once were some women Rotarians

Whose jackets were quite authoritarian.

Not like Robin Hood

Whose song was so good

But they dressed more like Maid Marian.

                  Mike Billing

There once were some women Rotarians

Whose jackets were quite authoritarian.

She won't let us doze

We'll all be on our toes

Now that Jane's no full-time librarian.

                  Jim Fogel

There once were some women Rotarians

Whose jackets were quite authoritarian.

Black and white

And read all over

They are not easy push-overs.

                  Carm Hill

There once were some women Rotarians

Whose jackets were quite authoritarian.

The extreme black and white

Gave me such a fright

I look like an octogenarian.

                  Jean McPheeters

There once were some women Rotarians

Whose jackets were quite authoritarian.

But words and belief

To each other's relief

Were strictly egalitarian.

                  Jean McPheeters

There once were some women Rotarians

Whose jackets were quite authoritarian.

A few were less formal

And some almost normal

The style here is called "chic" barbarian.

                  Jean McPheeters