Limericks
  • Originated in Limerick, England
  • Edward Lear is credited with popularizing the limerick
  • 5 lines
  • no title
  • humorous, makes fun of things, nonsensical
  • particular rhyme and rhythm pattern (AABBA)

Lines 1,2,and 5 – rhyme and have 8 to 10 syllables

Lines 3 and 4 – rhyme and have 5 to 7 syllables

 
Example::

There was a swift centipede, Pete,
Who wanted to run in a meet.
But it took several weeks
To lace up all his sneaks,
By then Pete was too late to compete.

 

 Student Examples:

Click on thumbnails to view the entire poem.

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© LuAnn Slough and students, Manassas City Public Schools