Today's Poetry Activity: Limerick
When I hear the word Limerick, I suddenly see Irish dancers, leprechauns, rainbows, and Ireland.
But Limericks are poems written in an anapestic[1] meter with a strict rhyme scheme of AABBA, in which the first, second, and fifth line rhyme, while the third and fourth lines are shorter and share a different rhyme. I'm not great at writing poems with rhymes or in certain meters, but I do love a good limerick, especially when they are humorous. Sometimes, they can be rude.
Here's one of my favorites from John Updike:
There was an old poop from Poughkeepsie, Who tended, at night, to be tipsy. Said he, ''My last steps Aren't propelled by just Schweppes! '' - That peppy old poop from Poughkeepsie.
If you'd like to share your favorite limericks in the comments, I'd love to read them. If you're daring enough, maybe you'll write your own and share it.
Here's something I used the generator for:
There once was a man who liked weddings. He said, "See the great beheadings!" His name was sarge. He found the brush discharge. And he couldn't resist the telecharge.
To help those who want to write their own, there's this cool Limerick generator.