Limerick Elements


A limerick is a poem of a nonsense or humorous theme consisting of five structured lines. The poem has a regular rhythm and rhyme pattern and lends itself to puns and plays on words.

The rhyming pattern of the limerick is (a a b b a). This means that lines 1, 2, and 5 rhyme together and lines 3 and 4 rhyme together.

Each line in the limerick has a specified number of syllables. Lines 1, 2, and 5 may have anywhere from 7 to 9 syllables. Lines 3 and 4 may have anywhere from 4 to 6 syllables.

Each line in the limerick also has a specified number of accented syllables. In lines 1, 2, and 5 there are three accented syllables. In lines 3 and 4 there are two accented syllables.

The following is a diagram of the limerick form:

 Line 1 -   7-9 beats/syllables with 3 stresses/accented syllables
 Line 2 -   7-9 beats/syllables with 3 stresses/accented syllables
 Line 3 -   4-6 beats/syllables with 2 stresses/accented syllables
 Line 4 -   4-6 beats/syllables with 2 stresses/accented syllables
 Line 5 -   7-9 beats/syllables with 3 stresses/accented syllables


The following is an example of a limerick. Use the example to talk about the different parts of a limerick.

 There was a Faith Healer of Deal,
 Who said, "Although pain isn't real,
 If I sit on a pin,
 And it punctures my skin,
 I dislike what I fancy I feel."

                  Author Unknown

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