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

Tom's 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.

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