How to Write a Clerihew Poem

Writing a Clerihew poem is straightforward. This whimsical poetry style was developed by Edmund Clerihew Bentley, an English novelist in the early 20th century. A Clerihew poem contains four lines of humorous verse written about a person, preferably well-known.

Things You'll Need

• Rhyming dictionary
• List of names

Instructions

1. Choose an interesting character for your poem. Brainstorming is key. Generate a list of options. Compose a Clerihew about a celebrity, historical figure, family, friend or even a pet.

2. The first line of a Clerihew poem uses the character's name. For instance, the poet, Edgar Allan Poe.

3. The first line of the verse must rhyme with the second line. For example, "The poet, Edgar Allan Poe, Took interest in an ordinary crow."

4. The third line of the Clerihew poem is required to rhyme with the fourth and final line. The poem must be funny or quirky and not insulting or offensive like a limerick. As an example, "The poet Edgar Allan Poe, Put horror in an ordinary crow. When a reader's face befell a ghostly white, She dashed through the house to turn on all the lights."

Tips & Warnings

• Experiment and rearrange word placement and endings. Maintain the rhyming pattern known as a-a-b-b.

Resources

• Trent's Last Case by E.C. Bentley
• Britannica Online Encylopedia
• Clerihews-Rhyming Poems Thinks.com