The document provides information about limericks, including their history, form, rhythm, examples, and tips for writing them. It discusses that limericks originated in 18th century England and became popular due to Edward Lear's Book of Nonsense. A limerick has a strict AABBA rhyme scheme and rhythm. The first two lines set up a situation and rhyme, while the last line provides a twist and also rhymes with the first two. Tips for writing include starting with a name in the first line and making the last line funny. The document also covers parody limericks called "anti-limericks".

1. EEnngglliisshh lliittEErraattuurrEE
PPooeettrryy::
LLiimmeerriicckk
ss

2. LLiimmeerriicckk EExxaammppllee
The limerick packs laughs anatomical
Into space that is quite economical
But the good ones I've seen
So seldom are clean
And the clean ones so seldom are comical

3. TThhee LLiimmeerriicckk
A type of poetry with a strict rhyming
pattern in the form of five lines.
The first two lines are always longer than the
second two and the fifth line is the same length
as the first two.
A
A
B
B
A
Usually have a humorous intent.

4. LLiimmeerriicckk FFoorrmmaatt
01 Lines 1&2
02 Lines 3&4
Line 5 03
Must rhyme with each
other (last word of each
line.)
Shorter than the first two
lines. Must rhyme with
each other (Not lines 1&2)
Longer than lines 3&4.
Same length as lines 1&2.
Must rhyme with lines 1&2

5. AA lliimmeerriicckk aabboouutt tthhee ffoorrmmaatt ooff aa
lliimmeerriicckk!!
Writing a Limerick's absurd.
Line one and line five rhyme in word.
And just as you've reckoned,
They rhyme with the second,
The fourth line must rhyme with the
third.

6. LLiimmeerriicckk RRhhyytthhmm
da DUM da da DUM da da DUM
da DUM da da DUM da da DUM
da DUM da da DUM
da DUM da da DUM
da DUM da da DUM da da DUM

7. The rhythm doesn’t have to match
exactly, but it needs to be close enough
so that it sounds the same when you
read it. For example:
◦ There WAS a young FELLow named HALL.
Who FELL in the SPRING in the FALL.
Would have BEEN a sad THING,
Had he DIED in the SPRING,
But he DIDn’t, he DIED in the FALL.

8. HHiissttoorryy
Limericks started in the early years of the
18th century England.
This style of poetry was made popular
(popularized) in the 19th century by poet and
writer, Edward Lear.
The Limerick became popular
from Edward Lear’s first book:
A Book of Nonsense (1845)

9. EEddwwaarrdd LLeeaarr ((1122 MMaayy 11881122 –– 2299 JJaannuuaarryy
11888888))
English artist, illustrator, author
and poet, known mostly for his
literary nonsense in poetry
(especially his limericks).
He is mostly known for the use
of invented words in his poems.

10. TThhee OOwwll aanndd tthhee PPuussssyy--CCaatt

11. AA YYoouunngg LLaaddyy
There was a Young Lady whose
chin.
Resembled the point of a pin.
So she had it made sharp,
and purchased a harp,
And played several tunes with her
chin.
There is a Young Lady whose nose
Continually prospers and grows;
When it grew out of sight,
she exclaimed in a fright,
“Oh! Farewell to the end of my
nose!”

12. There was an Old Man on some rocks.
Who shut his Wife up in a box.
When she said, "Let me out,"
He exclaimed, "Without doubt
You will pass all your life in that box."

13. WWRRIITTIINNGG LLIIMMEERRIICCKKSS:: SSOOMMEE
TTIIPPSS
There are two tips to help you write a
limerick:
1. The first line usually ends with a person’s
first name or the name of a place.
2. The last line is usually funny.

14. TTiipp 11
The first line is usually the name of a
person or place.
Pick the name of a place or person – like
“New York” or “Stan” – and write a line
like this:
 There once was a girl from New York
OR
 There once was a farmer named Stan

15. Then think of some rhyming words like:
“cork,” “fork,” “pork,” “stork,”
or
“man,” “can,” “ban,”
and find enough words to complete your
limerick.

16. TTiipp 22
Once you’ve found some rhyming words,
start thinking about a funny ending for
your poem.
Try to write lines 1, 2, and 5 first!
Then write lines 3 and 4 after.

17. FFoorr EExxaammppllee::
I wrote this first:
There once was a farmer named Stan.
Who was an unusual man.
Da da DUM da da
Da da DUM da da
I didn’t write this I just
thought it in my mind.
Then I wrote the last line:
For Stan only had the one hand.

18. There once was a farmer named Stan.
Who was an unusual man.
He’d no money to show,
No food did he grow,
For Stan only had the one hand.

19. There was a young boy from Crewe.
Who found a bug in his stew.
Said the waiter, “Don’t shout
And wave it about
Or the rest will be wanting one too!”
There once was a boy named Joe.
Who dropped a big brick on his toe.
He asked with a frown,
“Will the swelling go down?”
And the doctor said, “Yes I think so.”

20. TTaasskk 11
Try to write your own limerick.
Use the two tips to help you.
Choose a name or a place first.
Think of rhyming words.
Write lines 1, 2 & 5.
Then write lines 3 & 4.

21. AAnnttii LLiimmeerriicckkss
The limerick can be mocked (parodied).
These parodies are called ‘anti-limericks’.
There was a young man of Japan
Whose limericks never would scan.
When asked why this was,
He replied "It's because
I always try to fit as many syllables into the
last line as ever I possibly can."

23. Comedian John Clarke has also parodied
limericks:
There was an old man with a beard.
A funny old man with a beard.
He had a big beard,
A great big old beard,
That amusing old man with a beard.

24. TTaasskk 22
Try to write an Anti Limerick!
This is easier because you can change the
form and rhythm.