Pot o' blarney — Deseret News limerick contest winners

As the years change from the double-zero "aughts," as some have now been calling 2001 to 2009, to the 2010's (is it twenty-ten or two-thousand ten?) and beyond, life will change, too. But just how those changes will come is open to speculation, interpretation, guesswork and perhaps some fun ideas.

So, we asked our readers to speculate and to do it in rhyme — The Next Decade was the theme of our annual limerick contest. The entries cover everything from politics to technology to environment to everyday life. But they have one thing in common — they are all cleverly done. They made us laugh; they made us think; they made us look ahead, albeit in equal doses of optimism and pessimism; and they made us look at ourselves and others in new ways. We hope they do that for you, too.

We thank all who participated in our contest, whether from near or far. Our panel of judges picked the following winners: First place (a $25 gift certificate to Gardner Village) goes to (drum roll please) Julie Reid of Orem. Second prize (a book on Ireland) goes to Julie Humes of West Jordan. Diane McAffee, South Jordan, received third prize (a CD of Irish music). Robert L. Layton, Provo, claims 4th prize (a box of green goodies). And Carmen Mann, South Jordan, gets fifth place (and a decorate-yourself T-shirt).

Here are the winners, and some honorable mentions.

First place

If cyber-site news all the rage is,

We will miss the crinkle of pages.

To read news online

Is perfectly fine,

But how will we line our bird cages?

— Julie Reid, Orem

Second place

At the end of Two Thousand and Nine,

I reluctantly got in "The Line."

If I'd only known then

I'd spend Two Thousand Ten

Renewing that license of mine!

— Julie Humes, West Jordan

Third place

No space program? How importune.

They canceled it ten years too soon.

"Survivor," the show

Has no place left to go.