Public Speaking : Comic Verse

Often a short poem will illustrate your point better than hours and hours of talk. Poems can be inspiring and motivating as well as funny, and they also add variety to your presentation. You must flawlessly memorize any poetry you use. Any stumbles will ruin the effect of the verse. If the verse is long, you may want to consider reading it, but total memorization will have more impact. Poetry, whether funny or not, should be used sparingly in any business presentation.

Always look for the points that a piece of comic verse could illustrate. You normally don't want to use any kind of humor that does not support the points 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: Look forward, not backward.

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

POINT: Everyone starts at the bottom. That won't keep you from being great.

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: 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 The Honeymooners

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

LIMERICKS

POINT: Be careful whom 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.'