Contemporary Poetry

* The Limerick
Lesson Objectives
•Define and characterize limerick as
a contemporary/modern type of
poetry; and
•Compose a clever limerick about a
famous public personality.
Motivation Question/Activity
• Ferdinand
Discussion Questions
• Ferdinand
Points to Ponder
• Ferdinand
Limerick
Brings a good vibe
with clever
rhymes that jive…
Brief History
• While the limerick originates in the 18th century, it was in the 19th
century that Edward Lear popularized the form.
• In 1846, Lear published A Book of Nonsense, which consisted of 72
limericks in two volumes.
• This collection was republished in 1855 and expanded in 1861 (to
include 112 limericks).
• In 1872, Lear published More Nonsense, which contained (in
addition to other nonsense poems) another 100 limericks.
• Lear’s limericks have a number of distinct features.
• The final line of a Lear limerick usually repeats a previous line.
• In addition, many of his limericks are truly nonsensical, and lack an
obvious punch line.
Brief History
• Lear also did not go in for dirty jokes, and there is
often a tragic tone to his poems.
• The main characters of the limericks are eccentric
people who are not appreciated by the rest of
society.
• These oddballs and outcasts are frequently beaten
and mocked, and we may well wonder whether
there is something autobiographical about these
poems.
• For one thing, quite a few of the characters have
large noses, and we know that Lear was rather
embarrassed by the size of his own proboscis.
• While Lear thus popularized the limerick, his own
contributions remain quite unique.
Lear’s Limerick
• "Old Man with a Beard," the first limerick on Edward
Lear, Book of Nonsense 1-10:

There was an Old Man with a beard,

Who said, 'It is just as I feared!
Two Owls and a Hen,
Four Larks and a Wren,
Have all built their nests in my beard!'
Rules in Writing a Limerick
• Limericks are meant to be funny, and often
employ elements of literature such as
hyperbole, onomatopoeia and alliteration.
• The first line usually sets up the idea of the
poem, and the last is generally the punchline.
• Although sometimes bawdy, outlandish
limericks bring humor and rhyme to the world
of poetry.
Rules in Writing a Limerick
• Limericks are nonsense verse.
• They have five lines.
• They have a rhyme scheme of A, A, B, B, A
(lines 1,2, and 5 rhyme; lines 3 and 4
rhyme).
• The accentual meter is 3, 3, 2, 2, 3. You may
use an amphibrach ( /˘or anapest.
• The syllabic meter is 8-10, 8-10, 5-7, 5-7, 8-10.
• To write a great limerick you should pay
Three Things to Consider in Writing a Limerick
• *Rhyme
• A limerick is five lines long with the rhyme scheme aabba. This
means that lines 1, 2 and 5 rhyme with each other, and lines 3 and
4 rhyme with each other. They also have a bouncing rhythm. One
line is a couplet and one is a triplet. Lines 1, 2 and 5 have an aabba
pattern. Lines 3 and 4 have two beats that rhyme.
• There was an Old Person of Chester, (A)
• Whom several small children did pester; (A)
• They threw some large stones, (B)
• Which broke most of his bones, (B)
• And displeased that Old Person of Chester. (A)
• — Edward Lear.
Three Things to Consider in Writing a Limerick
• *Rhythm
• The rhythm of a limerick can be tricky to master.
The easiest way to think about rhythm is to realize
that lines 1, 2, and 5 have three stressed syllables,
and lines 3 and 4 have two stressed syllables.
• There once was a man from Gaspé,
• Who loved his deodorant spray.
• He needed to scratch
• So he took out a match,
• And went up in a fragrant flambé.
• However, you can use different feet (patterns of
stressed and unstressed syllables) to create this
rhythm. One common foot is the amphibrach (three
syllables where only the middle syllable is stressed).
The first two lines both start with two amphibrachs
in a row.

• Another common foot is the anapest (three syllables

where only the last is stressed). For example the
fourth line consists of two anapests, and the last line
has three.
• Finally, when you’re not using amphibrachs or
anapests, you may occasionally use an iambic
meter (an unstressed syllable followed by a
stressed syllable). The first and third lines both
end with an iamb.
• All three of these rhythms are rising rhythms,
in that they start with one or more unstressed
syllables before leading to a stress. As you
combine them in your limerick, try to capture
that traditional lilt of a limerick that makes it
so catchy.
Three Things to Consider in Writing a Limerick
• *Content
• What should go into a limerick? Here’s a quick checklist that covers
the essentials:
• Limericks start with “There was” or “There once was”
• The first line introduces a person and (often) a city or place of
origin.
• The person is characterized by one or more eccentric traits that
make them stand out.
• Something humorous happens to the main character, and the poem
ends with a joke or a surprising twist.
• The limerick is often accompanied by a humorous illustration.
• Beyond these basic rules, you have plenty of leeway to make up an
original limerick of your own.
• There once was a man from Gibraltar (A)
• Who sang from an Anglican psalter. (A)
• He angered the Spanish (B)
• Who shouted “Please vanish, (B)
• Or burn to a crisp on our altar!” (A)
Works Cited
• Lear, Edward. Complete Nonsense.
Wordsworth Edition, 1994.
• https://natureofwriting.com/courses/poetry/les
sons/limericks/
End of Presentation
Fabian
• Ferdinand
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Ferdinand
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Ferdinand