Poetry and Creative Writing for All

Limerick

Speculated to have been invented by soldiers returning from France to the Irish town of Limerick in the 1700s, the sign of a good limerick is the last line where the punch line or heart of the joke lies.

In its basic form, a limerick is a five-line poem with one couplet and one triplet. The rhyme pattern is AABBA, with lines 1,2 and 5 containing three beats and rhyming. Lines 3 and 4 will have two beats and also rhyme. As mentioned before, limericks are meant to be funny, sometimes bordering on the darker sense of humour.

Below are examples of Edward Lear's (1812-1888) limericks, some of which you may recognise.

There was an old man of Tobago
Who lived of rice, gruel and sago
Till, much to his bliss,
His physician said this -
To a leg, sir, of mutton you may go.

There was a Young Lady in White
Who looked out at the depths of the Night;
But the birds of the air
Filled her heart with despair,
And oppressed that Young Lady in White

There was a Young Lady of Lucca,
Whose lovers completely forsook her;
She ran up a tree
And said, 'Fiddle-de-dee!'
Which embarrassed the people of Lucca.

Limerick Challenge!

Why not have a try at this poetic form yourself - send us your own Limericks. Submission Guidelines are below.

Submission Guidelines: The address to send your limerick(s) to is: Limerick, Forward Press Ltd, Remus House, Woodston, Peterborough PE2 9JX
Please remember to write your name and address on each piece of work you send.

Alternatively, you can email us your poems: inbox@forwardpress.co.uk (Please include your name and postal address.)

Top