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Not a limerick, though it has a similar feel. The way I originally heard it was: Once there was a chemist There isn't any more What he thought was
by kerkeslager 7y ago
Not a limerick, though it has a similar feel. The way I originally heard it was:
Once there was a chemist
There isn't any more
What he thought was H2O
Was H2SO4.
I've heard a few variants, such as "Bobby was a chemist" or "There isn't one no more". At least one blog[1] claims the original poem from 1894 is:
Our Willie passed away today,
His face we’ll see no more;
What Willie thought was H2O
Proved H2SO4.
[1] https://www.barrypopik.com/index.php/new_york_city/entry/johnny_thought_that_h2o_was_h2so4 https://www.barrypopik.com/index.php/new_york_city/entry/joh...
- daeken 7y agoI've always heard it as: Billy was a chemist's son But Billy is no more For what he thought was H2O Was H2SO4.
- ohyeshedid 7y agoand I heard it as: Little Timmy took a drink But he will drink no more For what he thought was H2O Was H2SO4
- kerkeslager 7y agoI went down a bit of a rabbit hole with this yesterday. It's interesting--there's clearly some parts of the poem that are effective and lasting, while other parts aren't. "thought was H20 was H2SO4" is identical in all the variants I found after the mid-20th-century. Most, but not all, have "What he thought was H20 was H2SO4". It seems like they "perfected" that part and it hasn't really changed since. But the rest is very changeable--a few variants mention chemists and most mention a male name of some sort, but most have nothing else in common.