What Is a Limerick and How to Write a Good One?

Not every poem has to be serious.

Some poems make you think. Some make you cry.. Some simply make you laugh at a person who probably should have known better.

That is where the limerick comes in.

A limerick is a humorous poem made up of five lines. It usually tells a story, often involving a funny person, a strange situation or an unexpected ending. The best part is that you do not need to write a poem to create one. Five lines are enough.

So how does it work?

The common limerick follows an AABBA rhyme scheme. This means that the first, second and fifth lines rhyme with each other while the third and fourth lines have a rhyme.

Think of it like this:

A. Rhyme

A. Rhyme

B. Rhyme

B. Rhyme

A. Rhyme

For example:

There once was a girl from the town

Who wore a purple gown.

She danced in the rain

Then boarded a train

And waved as the train left town.

The rhymes are not the thing that makes a limerick work. Rhythm is important too.

Limericks usually have a bouncy sound. When you read one aloud it should feel like you are telling a funny little story.

Start With a Character

One of the ways to write a limerick is to begin with a character.

You could start with:

There once was a student named Kate…

There once was a man from Delhi…

Or even:

There once was a cat in my room…

Once you have your character give them a problem.

Maybe the student forgets an assignment. The man loses his umbrella. The cat decides it owns the house.

The stranger the situation the easier it can be to make the poem funny.

Find Your Main Rhyme

Once you have your line think of words that rhyme with the final word.

Suppose your first line ends with night.

You could use:

flight

bright

sight

right

Now you have some endings for your A lines.

The B lines need a rhyme. For example:

day

play

way

stay

You can then build your story around those sounds.

Don't Force the Story

One mistake when writing a limerick is trying too hard to make every line sound perfect. Remember that a limerick is supposed to feel playful. You do not need a plot. A tiny story is enough.

For example:

There once was a boy named Ray

Who lost his homework one day.

He searched on the floor

Then checked by the door

And found it inside his café.

The story is simple. That is completely fine. The fun comes from the rhythm and the silly situation.

The Last Line Matters Most

If you want your limerick to be memorable pay attention to the line. The ending often contains the joke, surprise or twist.

You can spend four lines setting up a situation and then suddenly change it in the final line. That little surprise is often what makes the reader smile.

Read It Out Loud

This is probably the trick for improving a limerick. Read your poem aloud.

Does it sound smooth?

Does the rhythm feel natural?

Do the rhymes sound forced?

If you have to stop in the middle of a line try changing a few words. Poetry is not something we read with our eyes. Rhythm is something we hear.

Don't Be Afraid to Be Silly

The biggest rule of writing a limerick is simple: have fun, with it. You can write about a teacher a dramatic dog, a student who sleeps through an exam a grandmother who loves dancing or even a potato that thinks it is famous.

You do not need a message.

You just need an idea, five lines and a little imagination.

A limerick may be small. That does not mean it is easy. Getting five lines to rhyme, flow and end with a good joke takes creativity.

So the time you feel like writing a poem don't worry about making it profound.

Pick a character.

Give them a problem.

Find some rhymes.

Let the poem have a little fun.