Limerick: Poem #3. Due Friday, May 23.

Limerick-a short, humorous, five-line poem which follows a strict rhyme scheme (AABBA) and has 8-12 syllables in lines 1, 2 and 5 and 4-8 syllables in lines 3 and 4.

Limericks are meant to be funny. USE END RHYME AND FEMININE RHYME! The last line of a good limerick contains the PUNCH LINE or "heart of the joke."


A flea and a fly in a flue

Were caught, so what could they do?

Said the fly, "Let us flee."

"Let us fly," said the flea.

So they flew through a flaw in the flue.

-Anonymous

You will soon hear the distinctive beat pattern of all limericks. The rhythm is just as important in a limerick as the rhyme. Try completing this limerick.

There once was a pauper named Meg

Who accidentally broke her _______. (leg)

She slipped on the ______. (ice)

Not once, but thrice

Take no pity on her, I __________. (beg)

Compose a limerick for FRIDAY.  Beneath the limerick write three responses: three sentences about why you wrote the poem, three sentences about the poetic devices BE SPECIFIC (include at least 2 in your poem, one end rhyme and one feminine rhyme), and three sentences about limerick form (or the form you chose to use/adapt if you did not follow the conventional structure).