The Santa Clara County Branch is once again sponsoring a limerick contest for Pen Women.

• A Limerick is a verse (usually humorous) of five lines that has a specific rhyme scheme:

• Lines 1, 2, and 5 must rhyme with each other and have 3 feet.

• Lines 3 and 4 have 2 feet, are indented, and must rhyme with each other (different rhyme from 1, 2, and 5).

• The rhyme scheme is: a a b b a (apparently from a song that mentions the city and country of Limerick, Ireland).

Competition Rules

Submission deadline: Entries must be received by March 17, 2026

Cost: $8 per limerick or $20 for 3

Payment: Make check payable to NLAPW, Santa Clara County Branch and mail to:

Susan Zerweck, contest chair

15724 Adams Ridge

Los Gatos, CA 95033

Prizes:  Determined by the number of entries. Awards will include monetary prizes for first, second, and third places. Nonmonetary honorable mention will also be awarded.

Eligibility: Contestants must be NLAPW members. All entries must be original and not previously published.

To submit: Each paid entry must be on its own page, with no personal information. Add a separate cover page that includes all limerick titles submitted and your name, branch, address, phone, and email.

Judging: An unbiased panel of three judges will select winners by April 15, 2026. 

Winners will be notified by mail or email.

Wining limericks will be published in The Pen Woman magazine or NLAPW website.

For questions, contact Susan Zerweck at 408-353-1769 or email ralph_susan@comcast.net

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