Limericks from an arts reporter

One of the topics I've been wanting to blog about is a chapbook titled Limericks With Latitude, written by Indianapolis Star arts reporter Jay Harvey. He issued it last July, and in the intro, Jay acknowledges the limerick's lowly status as an artform: "Often condescended to as a low form of verse, associated with scurrility and obscenity, the limerick to me has proved to be flexible as to theme, manner and subject. May the common result ve the reader's delight." Later, he asserts: "I hope I have left the limerick a more capacious vehicle for concise fun, even when the mood is reflective." A sample:

O Careless Love
(A single mom turns down a proposition)

He says, Now don't worry, let's get it on, I'm shootin' blanks.
Well, sex can be good, I guess, when the damn rest of life tanks.
Next day, he took off, I got plastered,
Now I got me a miniature bastard
To remind me what men are like. Do I need lovin'? No thanks.

You can read Jay's insightful arts blog at
http://blogs.indystar.com/upstage/, but don't expect to read any limericks. Which is too bad. Wouldn't you like to read jazz reviews in the form of a limerick?