March 2026 Slice of Life, No. 16
In celebration of the Irish, I share this limerick slice.
Limericks first appeared in England in the early years of the 18th century and were popularized by Edward Lear in the 19th century. They were combined and sung as traditional humorous drinking songs, often with obscene verse.
Limericks consist of one stanza, five lines, with a strict AABBA rhyme scheme. The first, second, and fifth lines rhyme with each other and have 7 to 10 syllables while the two shorter lines (third and fourth) rhyme with each other and have 5 to 7 syllables. The first line usually introduces a person or a place, and the final line delivers a punch or a twist. Sometimes the last line repeats the first line.
Below are a few limericks I’ve written.
There once was a cat named Rat
Who sat for a chat with Gnat.
When a bat flew by,
Gnat said, “I must fly!”
Then Rat–the cat– said, “Scat.”
There once was a funny bunny,
Who laughed on days that were sunny.
Cried he, “Beg your pardon”
To the man in the garden.
Now bunny’s no longer funny.
I once found a four-leaf clover
Friends said my trouble was over.
I sang a joyful tune
To a strange raccoon
Now more than my trouble is over.
I heard of a dog from Bonn
Who barked at a man named John.
His bark was so loud
It drew a great crowd
To bark with the dog from Bonn.
© 2018 Alice Nine
In my classroom
The limerick is a great vehicle to notice and intentionally apply some basics of poetic form — lines, syllables, meter, rhyme patterns. It also ties into word work with rhyming words, homophones (homonyms), and multi-meaning words. And finally, limericks have story elements: a setting, character, problem, and a twist.
How to Write a Limerick is a great resource with explicit instructions, easy to use with students. I reviewed the form and process and used the tips from this site to write my limericks.
Edward Lear’s Nonsense Books, a link to an online copy.
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