How to Write a Great Limerick

You don't need to be a poet to craft a great limerick.

A limerick is a funny poem that consists of three long and two short lines and a rhyme scheme of aabba. A limerick must contain five lines and 13 metric feet, with lines one, two and five rhyming and lines three and four rhyming. Once you decide on the first line of your limerick, the rest of the poem usually develops easier. Many limericks are bawdy in nature, but they don't have to be this way. Limericks can be composed to suit any group or any situation.

Instructions

1. Choose your first line. If you are composing this limerick about a person or a situation, this line should set the scene. A well-known limerick serves as an example: "There was an old man from Peru." Notice the rhythm matches this beat: da DUM da da DUM da da DUM. All limericks must match this simple rhythm of three stressed beats in the first, second and fifth lines and two stressed beats in the third and fourth lines. A limerick may contain any number of unstressed beats in the rhythm as long as the first, second and fifth line rhythms match and the third and fourth line rhythms match.

2. Continue the story of your limerick with the second line. The next line in the well-known limerick is "Who dreamed he was eating his shoe." Notice that this rhythm matches the first line with this beat: da DUM da da DUM da da DUM. Be sure your first and second line rhythms match by tapping out the beat.

3. The third line of your limerick should set up the beginning of the punch line, which will come at the end of the poem. Here's the third line in the example: "He awoke in the night." Notice that this line is short and has a different rhythm: da DUM da da DUM. The third line must contain this rhythm of two stressed beats for your poem to be considered a limerick.

4. The fourth line of your limerick will continue to build towards the punch line. The example limerick's fourth line is "With a terrible fright." The fourth line of your limerick must match the rhythm of the third line in order for your poem to be considered a limerick: da DUM da da DUM.

5. The fifth and final line of your limerick contains the punch line and provides the ending to the short story you are attempting to tell with your poem. The final line in the example limerick says, "And found out that it was quite true!" Notice that this line matches the rhythm of the first two lines: da DUM da da DUM da da DUM. All limericks must end with a line that rhymes and matches the rhythm of the first two lines. Make sure your poem meets the guidelines of a limerick by patting the beat while you read the limerick aloud.

References

• Giggle Poetry: Limericks
• Poetry Online: Limericks