Cheeky, witty and often rude, the limerick is the class clown of poetry!
Limericks are so much fun to share, and easy to write — even if you’ve never looked deeply into how they work.
I’m sure you’re well-versed in them already so, like them, this post will be to the point!
What is a limerick?
They follows a simple pattern that you probably know by heart. If you’re unsure, the nursery rhyme “Hickory Dickory Dock” is a limerick.
They have five lines in a single stanza, with an AABBA rhyme scheme i.e. lines 1, 2, and 5 rhyme with each other, and lines 3 and 4 rhyme.
I highly recommend looking for more to read.
I had a lot of fun looking for one to use as an example!
Where did limericks originate from?
In doing some research for this post, I was surprised to find that the limerick didn’t originate in the town of Limerick in Ireland.
In fact, where and when the form itself came from is a mystery.
However, it’s generally considered that it was named for a nonsense 1700s parlour game that included the line “Won’t you come to Limerick?”
They were popularised by Edward Lear in the 1800s, and so, in honour of Lear’s birthday, May 12 is now International Limerick Day.
An example by Edward Lear:
There was an Old Man with a beard,
Who said, “It is just as I feared!—
Two Owls and a Hen,
Four Larks and a Wren,
Have all built their nests in my beard.
Your turn – try writing a limerick!
Your challenge is to write a limerick and recite it to somebody, or share it with a friend. It’s sure to brighten their day.
Or share it with us on Facebook!
Do you have little ones to entertain? Why not see what they come up with?
It could be pretty entertaining!
For more poetry prompts, click the tag below.
Looking to write something slightly more long-form, but need inspiration? Check out our story starters here.
Abigail Phillips Abbie is the newest member of the fiction team at the "Friend." She loves how varied the role is - every day is different and there is always a new story to read. She is keen to work closely with established writers and discover new writers, too.
