W S Gilbert made so many of these rhymes they're described as 'Gilbertian' and so did Tom Lehrer. Mostly, however for comic effect, so inanity may be a positive boon.

Ring the merry bells on board-ship,
Rend the air with warbling wild,
For the union of his/my lordship
With a humble captain's child!

Pretty daughter of mine,
                   I insist upon knowing
                   Where you may be going
               With these sons of the brine,
                   For my excellent crew,
               Though foes they could thump any,
               Are scarcely fit company,
                   My daughter, for you.



I'm sorry to be
               Of your pleasure a diminutioner.
                   They'll vow their pact
                         Extremely soon,
                   In point of fact
                         This afternoon.
                         Her honeymoon
                         With that buffoon
               At seven commences, so you shun her


The pluck of Lord Nelson on board of the Victory—
                        Genius of Bismarck devising a plan—
                The humour of Fielding (which sounds contradictory)—
                        Coolness of Paget about to trepan—
                The science of Jullien, the eminent musico—
                        Wit of Macaulay, who wrote of Queen Anne—
                The pathos of Paddy, as rendered by Boucicault—
                        Style of the Bishop of Sodor and Man—
                The dash of a D'Orsay, divested of quackery—
                Narrative powers of Dickens and Thackeray—
                Victor Emmanuel — peak-haunting Peveril—
                Thomas Aquinas, and Doctor Sacheverell—
                        Tupper and Tennyson — Daniel Defoe—
                        Anthony Trollope and Mister Guizot! Ah


...and from the pen of Dr Lehrer, I suggest...

These are the only ones of which the news has come to Harvard
And there may be many others but they haven't been discarvard.


Discuss.


Steve