Today is National Limerick Day, so let’s have some limerick fun!

Here’s one I created for today:

There once was a boy from Verdun
Who loved to dance in the sun
But when the sun went to sleep
He’d fall in a heap
“I wish I could keep having fun!”

Edward Lear made limericks popular with his “Book of Nonsense” in 1846. Limericks are a type of poetry made with silly, nonsensical, rhymes, and tend to run on the raunchy side.

But since they are so silly, they’re a great way to teach poetry and meter to kids.

In general terms, a person (or animal) is introduced in the first line, usually by name or place. The second line describes something they do. After that, it’s more a matter of rhyming than making the whole thing make sense. It used to be customary to just repeat the first line, but it’s more fun to create a mental image of something happening.

The stanza has 5 lines with the rhyming pattern AABBA, so the first, second, and last lines rhyme and the third and fourth rhyme. There is a general meter that that also follows the lines, 3 stressed beats for the A section and 2 for the B section. Poetry for Kids has a great detailed explanation of the beat pattern.

Try creating your own. And don’t forget to share them with us!