A limerick is a short five line poem. It is meant to be funny. The rhyme scheme is usually "A-A-B-B-A", with a rather rigid meter. Come and have some fun either sharing your favorites or writing your own. If not your own work, please include . . .

A limerick is a short five line poem. It is meant to be funny. The rhyme scheme is usually "A-A-B-B-A", with a rather rigid meter. Come and have some fun either sharing your favorites or writing your own. If not your own work, please include the author's name or "- Unknown" or "Anonymous" at the end of each limerick.


The first line traditionally introduces a person and a location, and usually ends with the name of the location, though sometimes with that of the person. A true limerick is supposed to have a kind of twist to it. This may lie in the final line, or it may lie in the way the rhymes are often intentionally tortured, or in both. Though not a strict requirement, the best limericks are usually those that additionally show some form of internal rhyme, often alliteration, sometimes assonance or another form of rhyme.


Some Samples

There once was a miser named Clarence
Who simonized both of his parents;
"The initial expense,"
he remarked, "is immense,
But it saves on the wearance and tearance."
-- Ogden Nash

The limerick packs laughs anatomical
Into space that is quite economical.
But the good ones I've seen
So seldom are clean
And the clean ones so seldom are comical.
-- Vyvyan Holland

There once was a man from Nantucket
Who kept all his cash in a bucket.
But his daughter, named Nan,
Ran away with a man
And as for the bucket, Nantucket.
-- Unknown

A flea and a fly in a flue
Were caught, so what could they do?
Said the fly, "Let us flee."
"Let us fly," said the flea.
So they flew through a flaw in the flue.
-- Anonymous

There once was a lady named Cager,
Who as the result of a wager,
Consented to fart
The entire oboe part
Of Mozart's quartet in F-major.
-- Unknown


Method:
There once was a _____ named_____.
Who ate ________________.
But the _________________.
To be __________________.
They were _______________.

Sample:
There once was a pelican named Izzie.
Who ate fishes until she was dizzy.
But the fishes didn't mind,
To be treated so unkind.
They were just glad to keep her so busy.


There once was a pauper named Meg
Who accidentally broke her __________.
She slipped on the __________.
Not once, but thrice
Take no pity on her, I __________.
-- Practice Fill-in


How to Write a Limerick
http://www.poetryteachers.com/poetclass/lessons/limerick.html