Happy Limerick Day!

Limerick Day celebrates the birthday of writer Edward Lear (1812-1888). The name is generally considered to be a reference to the city of Limerick, Ireland. Though the exact origins of this poetic form are still debated, limericks were made popular by Lear in 1846 in his Book of Nonsense. 

What is a limerick?

A limerick is a humorous five-line poem with a specific rhyming scheme.

The first and second lines rhyme and are usually longer (about eight or nine syllables).

The third and fourth lines are shorter (about five or six syllables) and rhyme with each other. 

The last line is the same length as the first two and rhymes with them.

Limericks also usually have a punch line at the end like a good joke. Most that I’ve heard and read have been obscene, but pretty damned funny, of course.

 

So to celebrate this day in my own special way, I’ve written a few of my own. 😉

There once was a man named Armand
Who had quite the impressive man wand.
A real hit with the ladies
But he gave them all scabies,
So he moved the hell back to Milan.

I once met a young girl named Lily.
She was terribly cute and so silly!
She liked to dance crazy,
And sing Call Me Maybe
Until her voice ended up shrilly.

I’ll tell you about my pet kitty.
Her fur is so fluffy and pretty.
She eats too much food,
And not to be rude,
But my bathroom now smells extra shitty.

I like to exclaim “Argle Margle!”
Right after I brush, floss, and gargle.
When food sticks in my teeth
And I need some relief,
I clean them until they do sparkle!

Feeling inspired now to write a limerick or two? Share them with me!