How to Write Limerick

How to Write Limerick – A limerick is a form of poetry with five lines, the first, second and fifth rhyming with each other. The fourth line rhymes with the third and the last. All lines, except the first line have seven syllables, this article will teach you how to write a very good Limerick.

What Is a Limerick?

A limerick is a short, five-line poem with just one stanza. Limericks have an AABBA rhyme scheme and a bouncy rhythm. The subject matter of a limerick is often whimsical and funny. From folk songs to nursery rhymes, limericks have been entertaining audiences for almost two centuries.

While the word “limerick” refers to the city or County of Limerick, Ireland, historians believe limerick poems originated in England in the early eighteenth century. The rhyme and rhythm structure of limericks are thought to have originated from a parlor game that always included the refrain, “Won’t you come to Limerick?

6 Defining Characteristics of a Limerick

Limericks all follow the same structure and pattern which sets them apart from other poetic forms and makes them easily identifiable.

1. A limerick consists of five lines arranged in one stanza.
2. The first line, second line, and fifth lines end in rhyming words.
3. The third and fourth lines must rhyme.
4. The rhythm of a limerick is anapestic, which means two unstressed syllables are followed by a third stressed syllable.
5. The first, second, and final line each have three anapests—da dum da da dum da da dum.
6. The third and fourth lines have two anapests-—da dum da da dum.

3 Examples of Limericks

Though they’ve been around for less time than the Shakespearean sonnet, limericks are a popular form of poetry for different audiences. Though not the first to write or recite them, English poet Edward Lear was famous for popularizing limericks in the nineteenth century. In 1846, he published a volume of his original limericks entitled A Book of Nonsense. Some limericks from his book read as follows:

1. Limerick No. 1

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!’

2. Limerick No. 80

There was an Old Man who said, ‘Hush!
I perceive a young bird in this bush!’
When they said, ‘Is it small?’
He replied, ‘Not at all!
It is four times as big as the bush!’

3. Limerick No. 91

There was a Young Lady of Russia,
Who screamed so that no one could hush her;
Her screams were extreme,
No one heard such a scream,
As was screamed by that lady of Russia.

6 Tips for Writing Limericks

If you’re feeling creative and have a fun idea brewing in your head, try writing your own limerick. Aside from their steadfast structure, there’s a lot of leeway when it comes limerick topics. Follow these six writing tips for writing a funny limerick:

1. Tell a story. When you read other limericks, you’ll notice that they have a narrative arc, complete with a main character, plot, and resolution. When you write a limerick, approach it like a very short story.
2. Start with your subject. Your first line should introduce your main character and establish a setting if you’re including one. For a practice run, start with your own name, jot down words that rhyme with it, and see what amusing limericks you can come up with.
3. Make it absurd. Limericks are meant to be nonsensical and silly. After you’ve introduced your main character, put them in an absurd scenario to ramp up the humor.
4. End with a twist. The last line of a limerick is like the punch line of a joke. End your limericks with a plot twist.
5. Don’t stray from the structure. The sky’s the limit when it comes to the subject matter of limericks, but you need to follow the AABBA rhyme scheme and the anapestic rhythm pattern. If you need help finding words that rhyme, reference a rhyming dictionary to help you with ideas.
6. Read your limerick out loud. Limericks are fun to write and just as fun to read out loud. Reading them aloud as you write helps you make sure you have the right rhythm. Then, when you’re done, read it in front of people to get a good laugh.

How to Write Limerick

Part 1: How to Brainstorm Ideas

1. Think of a funny or entertaining event. Limericks are often written about situations or moments that are silly and ridiculous. Think of an event or moment that made you laugh or giggle, recently or in the past.
   • For example, maybe you remember a funny event at a childhood birthday party that you can write about. Or perhaps you decide to write about an entertaining moment with your dog at the park earlier in the day.
2. Use your name as the subject. Try brainstorming with a first line like, “There once was a girl named Sam” or “Once there was a fellow named Mark.” Then, think of absurd or silly things that can then happen to the subject of the poem.
   • For example, you may start with a premise like, “There once was a girl named Sam who fell into a pot of spam…”
3. Focus on your city, town, or country in the poem. Focus on your hometown or somewhere you would like to travel to. Start with a line like “There once was a city named Yellowknife” or “There once was a country named Spain” and see where it takes you.
4. Use an interesting “what if” scenario. Make up a scenario that seems fantastical or silly, such as “What if cows could fly? Or “What if I became a bear?” Then, use the scenario as the set up for your limerick. Explore the scenario in the poem.
   • For example, maybe you choose a scenario like “What if I became a bear?” and then explore how it might feel to walk, eat, and think like a bear in the limerick.
5. Read examples of limericks. Look for classic and modern examples of limericks in poetry anthologies or online. Read the limericks out loud so you can get a sense of the rhythm and rhyme in the poems. Find examples of limericks at http://www.webexhibits.org/poetry/explore_famous_limerick_examples.html.

Part 2: How to Master the Limerick Form

1. Create an AABBA rhyme scheme. A limerick has five lines. The first, second, and fifth line should rhyme with each other. This is rhyme “A.” To create rhyme “B,” rhyme the third and fourth lines with each other. Rhyme “A” and “B” should be different from each other. The rhyme scheme will look like:
   • Line 1: Rhyme A
   • Line 2: Rhyme A
   • Line 3: Rhyme B
   • Line 4: Rhyme B
   • Line 5: Rhyme A
2. Use a syllable scheme. In addition to rhyme, the poem should follow a syllable scheme where the first, second, and fifth lines have eight or nine syllables. The third and fourth lines will have five or six syllables. The syllable scheme will look like:
   • Line 1: Eight or nine syllables
   • Line 2: Eight or nine syllables
   • Line 3: Five or six syllables
   • Line 4: Five or six syllables
   • Line 5: Eight or nine syllables
3. Follow a meter. The meter of the limerick is the number of beats, or stressed syllables, in each line. A limerick will follow a meter that goes 3, 3, 2, 2, 3. You can also use “da” for unstressed syllables and “DUM” for stressed syllables. Say “da” and “DUM” aloud to yourself as you compose each line to make sure you are stressing the right words. The meter will look like:
   • Line 1: Three stressed syllables (da DUM da da DUM da da DUM)
   • Line 2: Three stressed syllables (da DUM da da DUM da da DUM)
   • Line 3: Two stressed syllables (da DUM da da DUM)
   • Line 4: Two stressed syllables (da DUM da da DUM)
   • Line 5: Three stressed syllables (da DUM da da DUM da da DUM)Advertisement

Part 3: How to Create a Draft of the Limerick

1. 1Establish the main character in the first line. The first line of the limerick should let your readers know exactly who the poem is about. Include the character’s gender or name. You can start with a structure like “There once was” or “There was.” Make sure you follow the eight to nine syllable pattern for the first line.
   • For example, in a limerick by Edward Lear, the first line is: “There was an Old Person of Dover.”
   • Another example is a limerick by Selina Wallis that begins with, “There once was a girl named Selina.”
2. Use one syllable words that rhyme. Choose words that relate to your subject or main character. Pick words that are one syllable long to make it easier for you to follow the syllable count for each line as well.
   • For example, you may start with a first line like, “There once was a shy boy named Mark.” You may then think of words that rhyme with “Mark” like “shark,” “lark,” or “park.” You can then build a story around these rhyming words.
3. Describe the main character doing something funny or strange. Use strong verbs that convey a sense of immediacy and action. Pick an action that might make your reader laugh or giggle.
   • For example, in the limerick by Edward Lear, the second line shows the old person from Dover doing something silly: “Who rushed through a field of blue Clover;”
   • Another example is a limerick by an anonymous poet that opens with the lines: “A bather whose clothing was strewn/By winds that left her quite nude.”
4. Give the main character an obstacle or issue to overcome. In the third and fourth line, the main character should be presented with a predicament that they must address. The obstacle could be another person or an animal. Maybe the main character falls or injures themselves. Pick an obstacle that might appear strange or a little ridiculous to the reader.
   • For example, in the Lear limerick, the old person from Dover is confronted with an obstacle: “But some very large bees/Stung his nose and his knees.”
   • In a limerick by Selina Wallis, the aspiring ballerina deals with an issue: “She went on her toes/And fell on her nose.”
5. End with a realization or resolution. The last line of the limerick resolve the issue or obstacle for the main character. Maybe the main character has a sudden realization and makes a decision. Or perhaps the main character ends up doing something funny or ridiculous to get out of their predicament.
   • For example, the limerick by Edward Lear ends with the line: “So very soon he went back to Dover.” The poem is resolved when the old person realizes they needs to treat their bee stings and go back to their home.
   • In the limerick by Selina Wallis, the ballerina realizes her injury means she cannot be dance anymore, and the last line is: “Then she became a cleaner.”

Part 4: How to Polish the Limerick

1. 1Read the limerick aloud. Emphasize the stressed syllables by saying the words louder when you read the poem aloud. You can also clap your hands on the stressed syllables in the limerick to make sure they are present in each line.
   • Make sure the limerick follows the proper rhyme scheme. Adjust it if the rhythm or rhyming is off.
   • Check that there are no spelling, grammar, or punctuation errors in the limerick.
2. Show the limerick to others. Get friends, peers, and family members to read your limerick and give you feedback. Ask them if they feel the limerick flows well and has the correct rhythm when read aloud. Notice if the limerick makes others laugh or giggle. This is a good sign it is successful.
   • Be open to constructive feedback on the limerick from others.
3. Title the limerick. Most poets will use the first line as the title of the poem, such as “There once was a man from Dover” or “There was a shy boy named Mark.” Place the title above the first line of the poem.
   • You can also title the poem simply “Limerick” or the name of the main character, such as “Selina the Ballerina.”

Conclusion

A limerick (also called a limning or a rimeless lampoon) is a form of humorous verse: five lines long, with the first, second and fifth having three metrical feet each and the third and fourth lines having two metrical feet each. Usually the term refers to an English-language light verse form of the 19th century, although there are such verses in several European languages. The form was invented by 18th century Irish poet Edward Lear, who named the poem “a limerick” because it has “a initial [line] about a person, and a middle [line] about a profession, and a last [line] about religion or life.”