Limericks about the Flood

The story of a great world flood is one that appears almost universally, in nearly every culture. So either it really happened, although the geological evidence does not support that, or else the legend is simply one that resonates with the depths of human consciousness.

Though the myth is ubiquitous, the details vary from group to group. In the Judeo-Christian tradition, Jahweh sends the flood to punish mankind and rid the world of evil-doers. Only Noah, the single righteous man, is spared.

In regard to this Biblical version of the myth, I’m sympathetic to a psychological interpretation. I understand the most powerful form of punishment as being self-induced, i.e., the guilt that rises up like floodwater from the individual conscience.

The development of a conscience was a crucial and formative leap of human evolution. Only through the imagery of myth could our ancestors make sense of this psychological event, yet the story was one that needed telling, and retelling.

     Noah’s Ark
     In the earliest annals of Christian Folklore
     God said to Noah: Please pick up an oar
               As I am your teacher
               Go save every creature
     And build thee an ark ere the rain starts to pour

     Under the Rainbow 
     That ark builder Noah he showed up prepared
     In that sink-or-swim climate not many were spared
               As the sun came to shine
               He was swimming in wine
     And sprawled out uncovered with senses impaired

     Diluvial Legends 
     From out of antiquity, flood waters rise
     A deluge of knowledge, an awful surprise
               The wave of compunction 
               A holy injunction
     Come see where the seabed of consciousness lies

     The Fall and the Flood
     In the age of Atlantis when gods still addressed us
     When angels were active and seraphim blessed us
               The true congregation 
               Gave in to temptation
     And then came the days when the demons grew restless

Further Reading

If you liked these limericks about the Flood, you’ll be sure to enjoy:

• Limericks about the Book of Genesis
• Limericks about Moses and the Exodus
• Limericks about Greek Gods
• Limericks about Near Eastern Mythology
• 8 Common questions about limericks