Top o' the morning to you, er, tomorrow. But we're getting an early start on St. Patrick's Day with a little poetic help from our clever readers who tackled leprechauns, rainbows and all things Irish in a slew of blarney-based haikus. Among the creative poets: kids, grown-ups, a dog (who we suspect got a little help from her human owner with that opposable-thumb stuff) and even an adult English as a Second Language class in Alameda.

Here are our favorites. Enjoy these, then go online for more.

Over Lucky Charms,

green-garbed children plot to pinch

their unwary pals.

-- Rebecca Thompson, Lafayette

Kiss them in order;

Blarney stone, then Irish miss.

Words flow, leads to bliss

-- Scott & Lois Martin, Alameda

Ah, tis the wee men

So merrily in mischief

Who dwell by Shannon.

-- Harry Morgan, Pleasanton

Leprechauns laid off.

Fairy mounds have been foreclosed.

Pot of gold all spent.

-- Laura Loomis, Pittsburg

Only way to find

A Leprechaun or his gold?

Twelve-year Glenfiddich!

-- G.W. Enos, Hayward

The Caseys, the Boyles,

The Desmonds, the Mahonys --

Great family tree!

-- June Stark Casey, Oakland

For certain you know,

When Irish Eyes Are Smiling,

They're up to something!

-- John Casey, Oakland

Emerald pastures,

pink heather wave gracefully.

heavenly, Galway.

-- Pete Cuddyre, Oakland

Tara's pagan priests

Cared not for Pat in the least

He? Creeped out by snakes!

-- Norma Shattuck, Oakland

Slept on rooftops, bathed

In streams"... Irish Dad ordered

Pie for five at nine"...

-- Bethanne Keirnan, Pleasanton

After some green beers

My thirst expands. Wonder if

Gold is potable.

-- Dave Osburn, Pinole

Green beer and green eggs?

That Theodore O'Geisel

Must have been Irish.

-- Bruce Roberts, Hayward

We need you, Patrick.

You got rid of snakes -- now shoo

Canadian Geese.

-- Ann Johnson, Oakland

A pot of gold is

not worth what it used to be

worth: Leprechaun Lite.

-- Rebecca Thompson, Lafayette

March Madness hit me

Leprechauns and Basketball

O'Malley for three!

-- Larry Doweidt, Antioch

Better than gold at

rainbow's end was finding a

fun Irish husband.

-- Sherry Sheehan, Crockett

It's that holiday

When you wear green, find four leaf

Clovers, and seek gold!

-- Michelle Vasquez, age 13, Concord

A fine ad slogan

Is "My goodness, my Guinness"

Good for what ales you.

-- John Barry, Danville

Our politicians

Went to Ireland, and kissed the

Blah-Blah-Blarney Stone.

-- Gloria A. Dobkin, Lafayette

A pint of Guinness

With a shot of Jameson

Needs no special day.

-- Vernon Parsley, Walnut Creek

Tiny green footprints

In the kindergarten room

Leprechauns were here!

-- Ellen Lathlean

All children in class:

You are going to be pinched

if you don't wear green.

-- Alejandro Cardozo, Alameda ESLHAIKU YOU

Looking for Limericks?

Seventeen haiku contests down, umpteen more to come. But you guys were so creative, hilarious and well-behaved the last time we did a limerick contest, we're going to try that again, this time in a Shakespearean vein. Yesterday was, after all, the Ides of March -- not a great day for Julius Caesar, who veni, vidi, defungoed on that date, according to the Bard's tale. So here's the challenge: concoct a clever limerick inspired by any Shakespearean character or play, and send it to jburrell@bayareanewsgroup.com by noon Thursday, March 26. (P.S. Forest of Arden, Verona, Windsor? Yes. Nantucket? No.)

Online

Read more reader-written haiku at ContraCostaTimes.com/haiku or InsideBayArea.com/haiku

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