Public Speaking Course:

Comic Verse & Power Poetry

In my public speaking course you will practice incorporating comical poetry or verse into your presentation. A short poem can sometimes illustrate your point better than hours of talking could.

Poems can be inspiring and motivating as well as funny, and they also add variety to your presentation. It is crucial that you memorize any poetry used so you will say it flawlessly. Any stumbles over the words will ruin the effect of the verse.

If the poem is kind of long, you may want to consider reading it, but total memorization will have a greater impact. Poetry, whether funny or not, should be used sparingly in any business presentation, for "less is more".

Always look for the points that a piece of comic verse could illustrate. You don't want to use any kind of humor that does not support the point you are trying to make.

POINT: Get going to achieve your goals.
You have the tools, but you must pick them up and use them.

Sitting still and wishing
Makes no person great.
The Good Lord sends the fishes.
But you must dig the bait.
-- Anonymous

POINT: Everyone starts at the bottom. That won't keep you from being great.
Do the dirty work beforehand to be ready for the blessings.

The lightning bug is a brilliant thing
But the insect is so blind.
It goes on stumbling through the world
With its headlights on its behind.
-- Anonymous

POINT: Look forward, not backward.

Do not worry if your job is small
And your rewards are few.
Just remember that the mighty oak
Was once a nut, like you.
-- Anonymous

Rewrite of the last verse (to make the audience feel superior to me)

Do not worry if your job is small
With rewards you can't see.
Just remember that the mighty oak
Was once a nut, like me.

POINT: If you have a problem, do something about it.

Life is real,
Life is earnest
If you're cold,
Turn up the furnace.
-- Herman Munster

POINT: Ride out the tough stuff in life.

When the tides of life turn against you,
And the current upsets your boat,
Don't waste those tears on what might have been,
Just lay on your back and float.
-- Ed Norton in "The Honeymooners"

LIMERICKS

POINT: Be careful who you deal with.

There was a young lady from Niger,
Who smiled as she rode on a tiger.
They came back from the ride
With the lady inside,
And a smile on the face of the tiger.

POINT: Are you just coming along for the ride?

A silly young man from Port Clyde
In a funeral procession was spied.
Asked, 'ho is dead?' He giggled and said,
'I don't know. I just came for the ride.'

POINT: Quit fighting.

There once were two cats in Kilkenny.
Each cat thought there was one too many.
So they scratched and they fit
And they tore and they bit,
Til instead of two there weren't any.

In the famous words of Marie Antoinette ~~
"Keep cool when all's done and said,
Above all remember, don't lose your head."

During my public speaking course you will learn that humorous poetry usually goes over better in your presentation by keeping things light.

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