How to write a funny limerick

The nursery rhyme "Hickory Dickory Dock" is an example of a limerick.

A limerick is a poem with a funny, sometimes indecent, message. The limerick poem can be traced back to 14th-century England, but the word comes from the Irish town of Limerick. Town beggars and working class citizens sang and recited limericks in British pubs. Playwright William Shakespeare included limericks in his works, but it was English poet Edward Lear who made them popular. People enjoy limericks because of their singsong tune and humorous pitch. Anyone can write a limerick as long as they follow the format ---five-lines with an AABBA rhyming format and anapestic (two short syllables followed by one long) rhythm pattern.

Instructions

Rhyme and Rhythm Format

1. Rhyme the last words of lines one, two and five together. Use the same amount of syllables in each line, usually eight or nine. The rhythm pattern uses three anapestics like "da da DUM da da DUM da da DUM."

2. Rhyme lines three and four together and use the same amount of syllables in each line, usually five or six. The rhythm pattern for lines three and four is two anapestics like "da da DUM da da DUM."

3. Practice the anapestics by tapping your fingers as you say the words. The first short syllable may be eliminated if the syllable count is less.

   "Old Man of Peru" formatted with anapestic stresses:

   there WAS an old MAN of perU

   (da DUM da da DUM da da DUM)

   who DREAMT he was EATing his SHOE

   (da DUM da da DUM da da DUM)

   he WOKE in the NIGHT

   (da DUM da da DUM)

   with a TERrible FRIGHT

   (da da DUM da da DUM)

   to FIND it was PERfectly TRUE

   (da DUM da da DUM da da DUM)

Storyline

1. Start line one with a phrase like "There once was a" or "There was a" or choose a starter phrase of your own. Think of a nonsensical person like a beekeeper afraid of bees, a boring clown or baker who bakes with flowers. End the line with the place the person is from. It can be the name of a city or country or a geographical location like the sea, mountains or forest.

2. Present a ridiculous problem or situation in line two, such as the beekeeper falls in love with a bee, the clown goes to therapy or the baker's unique recipes become famous.

3. Write the effect of the situation in lines three and four, such as the beekeeper gets stung by love, the clown changes careers or the baker loses profits by eating all the baked goods.

4. Create a nonsensical or silly ending in line five, such as the beekeeper runs away with a fly, the clown misses clowning or the baker retires plump and happy.

References

• Giggle Poetry: How to Write a Limerick
• Poetry Online: Limericks
• Poetry Magazine: All About Limericks
• Teachers On the Web: Ash School House: Looney Limericks