377:
167:
299:, a phonetician, takes a different view of the limerick. It is this: Lines one, two, and five have three feet, that is to say three stressed syllables, while lines three and four have two stressed syllables. The number and placement of the unstressed syllables is rather flexible. There is at least one unstressed syllable between the stresses but there may be more – as long as there are not so many as to make it impossible to keep the equal spacing of the stresses.
184:
642:
406:. It was customary at the time for limericks to accompany an absurd illustration of the same subject, and for the final line of the limerick to be a variant of the first line ending in the same word, but with slight differences that create a nonsensical, circular effect. The humour is not in the "punch line" ending but rather in the tension between meaning and its lack.
137:
and the exchange of limericks is almost exclusive to comparatively well-educated men. Women are figuring in limericks almost exclusively as "villains or victims". Legman dismissed the "clean" limerick as a "periodic fad and object of magazine contests, rarely rising above mediocrity". Its humour is
226:
The first line traditionally introduces a person and a place, with the place appearing at the end of the first line and establishing the rhyme scheme for the second and fifth lines. In early limericks, the last line was often essentially a repeat of the first line, although this is no longer
339:
records the first usage of the word limerick for this type of poem in
England in 1898 and in the United States in 1902, in recent years several earlier examples have been documented, the earliest being an 1880 reference, in a
265:
The most prized limericks incorporate a kind of twist, which may be revealed in the final line or lie in the way the rhymes are often intentionally tortured, or both. Many limericks show some form of
990:
and subsequent posts on the
American Dialect Society List. One meaning for the phrase, proposed by Stephen Goranson on ADS-list, would be a reference to the Treaty of Limerick, and mean
415:
262:, especially exotic ones, is also common, and has been seen as invoking memories of geography lessons in order to subvert the decorum taught in the schoolroom.
211:
each; and the shorter third and fourth lines also rhyming with each other, but having only two feet of three syllables. The third and fourth lines are usually
531:
The
American film reviewer Ezra Haber Glenn has blended the limerick form with reviews of popular films, creating so-called "filmericks". For example, on
414:
399:
413:
704:
1289:
804:
203:
The standard form of a limerick is a stanza of five lines, with the first, second and fifth rhyming with one another and having three
114:
of AABBA, in which the first, second and fifth line rhyme, while the third and fourth lines are shorter and share a different rhyme.
1348:"The Curious Story of the Limerick" Dr Matthew Potter published by Limerick Writers' Centre Publishing www.limerickwriterscentre.com
1060:
883:
230:
Within the genre, ordinary speech stress is often distorted in the first line, and may be regarded as a feature of the form: "There
77:
1027:, Saint John, New Brunswick Edward Willis, Proprietor Tuesday Nov 30, 1880 Vol. XLII, no. 281 page 4, column 5 Wise and Otherwise
755:
1717. Sept. 17th. One Dr. Bainbridge went from
Cambridge to Oxon to be astronomy professor, and reading a lecture happened to say
1307:
445:
Lear's limericks were often typeset in three or four lines, according to the space available under the accompanying picture.
1170:
698:
957:
296:
1214:
Cohen, Gerald (compiler) (October–November 2010). "Stephen
Goranson's research into _limerick_: a preliminary report".
453:
The limerick form is so well known that it has been parodied in many ways. The following example is of unknown origin:
1315:
376:
341:
1092:
821:
1371:
85:) is a form of verse that appeared in England in the early years of the 18th century. In combination with a
1267:
1361:
506:
320:
1376:
1285:"Aesthetic Realism and Expression", a lecture by Eli Siegel using Edward Lear's iconic limericks from
166:
1275:
1198:
1118:
986:
The phrase "come to
Limerick" is known in American Slang since the Civil War, as documented in the
674:
403:
1366:
1319:
536:
767:
but lett them that brought him hither, return him thither, and teach him his rules of syntaxis.
726:
99:
1280:
1056:
1050:
879:
800:
796:
789:
692:
686:
475:
Other parodies deliberately break the rhyme scheme, like the following example, attributed to
188:
395:
749:
An interesting and highly esoteric verse in limerick form is found in the diary of the Rev.
532:
255:
48:
1144:
1015:
reported by
Stephen Goranson on the ADS-list and in comments at the Oxford Etymologist blog
774:
750:
540:
316:
286:
90:
1262:
1231:
1221:
330:
that traditionally included a refrain that included "Will you come (up) to
Limerick?"
324:
311:
for this type of poem is debated. The name is generally taken to be a reference to the
266:
204:
183:
138:
not in the "punch line" ending but rather in the tension between meaning and its lack.
130:
219:
followed by one anapaest. The first, second and fifth are usually either anapaests or
1355:
668:
647:
290:
216:
94:
896:
680:
610:
567:
476:
327:
270:
196:
111:
133:, who compiled the largest and most scholarly anthology, this folk form is always
1338:
1174:
1344:
614:
391:
384:
118:
1332:
965:
656:
637:
220:
104:
777:, Vol. CXVIII for the year MCMX, p. 78. Andrews & Co., Durham, etc. 1910.
763:
Upon which one said, Dr. Bainbridge was sent from
Cambridge,—to read lectures
278:
274:
208:
641:
1301:
662:
485:
470:
But when I get to the last line I try to fit in as many words as I can."
312:
259:
212:
171:
147:
122:
107:
98:
31:
17:
958:"Siar sna 70idí 1973 Lios Tuathail - John B Keane, Limericks, Skinheads"
282:
134:
86:
35:
426:
97:
often with obscene verses. It is written in five-line, predominantly
1297:– A limerick dictionary, with 120,324 Limericks as of May 2023
701: – 1998 single by Beastie Boys rapped in the form of a limerick
125:
point of view, the form is essentially transgressive; violation of
606:
411:
375:
182:
165:
126:
1310:
Limericks (5-line verse)' file at
Limerick City Library, Ireland
409:
The following is an example of one of Edward Lear's limericks.
335:
121:
in the 19th century, although he did not use the term. From a
63:
1343:"Limerick Poems and Civil Wars" (on the origin of the name)
1316:
There Once Was a Serpent: A History of Theology in Limericks
791:
The Penguin dictionary of literary terms and literary theory
1333:
Arthur Deex's comprehensive annotated Limerick Bibliography
258:
is violated simultaneously with propriety. Exploitation of
570:(1893–1977) devised the following mathematical limerick:
566:
The British wordplay and recreational mathematics expert
66:
57:
30:"Limericks" redirects here. For the city in Ireland, see
727:"LIMERICK | meaning in the Cambridge English Dictionary"
281:. Verses in limerick form are sometimes combined with a
141:
The following example is a limerick of unknown origin:
1036:
Tigges, Wim. "The Limerick: The Sonnet of Nonsense?".
861:
Tigges, Wim. "The Limerick: The Sonnet of Nonsense?".
1294:
659: – Short Russian or Ukrainian humorous folk song
78:
69:
402:(1872). Lear wrote 212 limericks, mostly considered
199:
in the limerick collection "Baby's Own Aesop" (1887)
54:
60:
51:
788:
1339:The Karl Dilcher bibliography of limerick books.
170:A limerick displayed on a plaque in the city of
795:(4. ed.). London : Penguin Books. p.
602:
546:
511:
481:
455:
422:
346:
254:..." Legman takes this as a convention whereby
143:
665: – Whimsical, four-line biographical poem
344:newspaper, to an apparently well-known tune,
8:
1052:Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of Literature
707: – Opening line to many comic limericks
400:More Nonsense Pictures, Rhymes, Botany, etc.
683: – Poetry that attempts to be humorous
161:And the clean ones so seldom are comical.
695: – Poetic form containing five lines
677: – Book of limericks by Isaac Asimov
430:Whose grandmother threatened to burn her.
323:, and may derive from an earlier form of
319:in Ireland sometimes particularly to the
934:1965 Oxford University Press: Chapter 3
618:Plus three times the square root of four
988:Historical Dictionary of American Slang
936:A Phonetician's View of Verse Structure
718:
349:There was a young rustic named Mallory,
440:You incongruous old woman of Smyrna!'
129:is part of its function. According to
1038:Explorations in the Field of Nonsense
863:Explorations in the Field of Nonsense
390:The limerick form was popularized by
7:
932:Studies in Phonetics and Linguistics
628:Is nine squared and not a bit more.
551:The poor have been dealt a raw deal.
361:to a seat in the uppermost gallery.
151:Into space that is quite economical.
705:There once was a man from Nantucket
526:That amusing old man with a beard.
490:Who was stung in the arm by a wasp,
383:(ca. 1875 James Miller edition) by
1119:"Filmericks from the City in Film"
514:There was an old man with a beard,
419:There was a Young Person of Smyrna
25:
500:I'm so glad it wasn't a hornet."
460:Whose limericks never would scan.
366:Tune: Won't you come to Limerick.
351:who drew but a very small salary.
1276:Edward Lear's A Book of Nonsense
1218:vol. 40, no. 1–2. pp. 2–11.
1145:"Bicycle Thieves: The Filmerick"
1040:. ed. Wim Tigges. 1987. page 117
865:. ed. Wim Tigges. 1987. page 117
640:
458:There was a young man from Japan
47:
1241:Loomis, C. Grant (July, 1963).
1173:. lockhaven.edu. Archived from
1093:"Craig Brown: The Lost Diaries"
561:All men must eventually steal.
1201:and Ceil Baring-Gould (1988).
1:
699:The Negotiation Limerick File
549:De Sica shoots Rome neo-real,
1199:Baring-Gould, William Stuart
516:A funny old man with a beard
509:also parodied Lear's style:
497:He replied, "No, it doesn't,
437:and said 'Granny, burn that!
425:There was a Young Person of
1082:Wells 1903, pp. xix-xxxiii.
689: – Genre of literature
493:When asked, "Does it hurt?"
293:often with obscene verses.
154:But the good ones I've seen
1393:
1252:, Charles Scribner's Sons.
1203:The Annotated Mother Goose
433:But she seized on the cat,
29:
1208:Brandreth, Gyles (1986).
1205:, New York: Random House.
1055:. Merriam-Webster. 1995.
947:Loomis 1963, pp. 153–157.
771:Six North Country Diaries
600:This is read as follows:
398:(1846) and a later work,
354:When he went to the show,
342:Saint John, New Brunswick
289:, a traditional humorous
93:, a traditional humorous
1238:, New York:Random House.
820:Vaughn, Stanton (1904).
731:dictionary.cambridge.org
671: – Fixed verse form
484:There was an old man of
463:And when they asked why,
193:Hercules and the Wagoner
1326:Limerick bibliographies
1248:Wells, Carolyn (1903).
307:The origin of the name
187:An illustration of the
34:. For the vaccine, see
852:Legman 1988, pp. x-xi.
773:, Publications of the
631:
625:Plus five times eleven
564:
529:
503:
473:
443:
420:
387:
369:
336:New English Dictionary
200:
175:
164:
117:It was popularized by
1271:Cypher Press reprint.
1216:Comments on Etymology
1210:Everyman's Word Games
1025:Saint John Daily News
921:Legman 1988, p. xliv.
787:Cuddon, J.A. (1999).
523:A great big old beard
418:
379:
358:his purse made him go
277:, or some element of
186:
169:
1250:A Nonsense Anthology
1004:get with the program
930:Abercrombie, David,
558:Or Ricci gets fired:
158:So seldom are clean
1228:, University Press.
876:The Secret of Humor
874:Feinberg, Leonard.
843:Brandreth, page 108
687:Nonsense literature
675:Lecherous Limericks
404:nonsense literature
146:The limerick packs
1320:Richard Kieckhefer
1287:A Book of Nonsense
1125:. 26 February 2014
903:. 23 February 2013
765:de Polis et Axis;
757:de Polis et Axis,
595:+ (5 × 11) = 9 + 0
554:A bike is required
537:Italian neorealist
519:He had a big beard
467:He said "I do try!
421:
396:A Book of Nonsense
388:
381:A Book of Nonsense
317:County of Limerick
260:geographical names
201:
176:
1281:Project Gutenberg
578:12 + 144 + 20 + 3
416:
297:David Abercrombie
148:laughs anatomical
16:(Redirected from
1384:
1300:Jenni Nuttall, "
1245:, Vol. 22, No. 3
1243:Western Folklore
1186:
1185:
1183:
1182:
1167:
1161:
1160:
1158:
1156:
1141:
1135:
1134:
1132:
1130:
1115:
1109:
1108:
1106:
1104:
1089:
1083:
1080:
1074:
1073:
1071:
1069:
1047:
1041:
1034:
1028:
1022:
1016:
1013:
1007:
1000:get to the point
984:
978:
977:
975:
973:
964:. Archived from
954:
948:
945:
939:
928:
922:
919:
913:
912:
910:
908:
893:
887:
878:. Rodopi, 1978.
872:
866:
859:
853:
850:
844:
841:
835:
834:
832:
830:
817:
811:
810:
794:
784:
778:
747:
741:
740:
738:
737:
723:
650:
645:
644:
626:
622:
621:Divided by seven
596:
594:
592:
591:
588:
585:
584:
583:
559:
555:
533:Vittorio De Sica
524:
520:
498:
494:
468:
464:
438:
434:
417:
359:
355:
159:
155:
101:
81:
76:
75:
72:
71:
68:
65:
62:
59:
56:
53:
21:
1392:
1391:
1387:
1386:
1385:
1383:
1382:
1381:
1352:
1351:
1337:Dilcher, Karl,
1328:
1259:
1232:Legman, Gershon
1222:Legman, Gershon
1195:
1190:
1189:
1180:
1178:
1169:
1168:
1164:
1154:
1152:
1143:
1142:
1138:
1128:
1126:
1117:
1116:
1112:
1102:
1100:
1091:
1090:
1086:
1081:
1077:
1067:
1065:
1063:
1049:
1048:
1044:
1035:
1031:
1023:
1019:
1014:
1010:
985:
981:
971:
969:
956:
955:
951:
946:
942:
929:
925:
920:
916:
906:
904:
895:
894:
890:
873:
869:
860:
856:
851:
847:
842:
838:
828:
826:
823:Limerick Lyrics
819:
818:
814:
807:
786:
785:
781:
775:Surtees Society
751:John Thomlinson
748:
744:
735:
733:
725:
724:
720:
715:
710:
646:
639:
636:
630:
627:
624:
623:
620:
619:
617:
597:
589:
586:
581:
579:
577:
576:
574:
573:
563:
560:
557:
556:
553:
552:
550:
541:Bicycle Thieves
528:
525:
522:
521:
518:
517:
515:
502:
499:
496:
495:
492:
491:
489:
472:
469:
466:
465:
462:
461:
459:
451:
442:
439:
436:
435:
432:
431:
429:
412:
374:
363:
360:
357:
356:
353:
352:
350:
305:
181:
163:
160:
157:
156:
153:
152:
150:
79:
50:
46:
39:
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
1390:
1388:
1380:
1379:
1374:
1372:Humorous poems
1369:
1364:
1354:
1353:
1350:
1349:
1346:
1341:
1335:
1331:Deex, Arthur,
1327:
1324:
1323:
1322:
1313:
1305:
1298:
1292:
1283:
1272:
1268:Some Limericks
1263:Norman Douglas
1258:
1257:External links
1255:
1254:
1253:
1246:
1239:
1229:
1219:
1212:
1206:
1194:
1191:
1188:
1187:
1162:
1151:. 4 March 2014
1136:
1110:
1099:. October 2010
1084:
1075:
1061:
1042:
1029:
1017:
1008:
979:
949:
940:
923:
914:
888:
867:
854:
845:
836:
812:
806:978-0140513639
805:
779:
742:
717:
716:
714:
711:
709:
708:
702:
696:
690:
684:
678:
672:
666:
660:
653:
652:
651:
635:
632:
603:
547:
512:
482:
456:
450:
447:
423:
373:
370:
347:
325:nonsense verse
304:
301:
267:internal rhyme
180:
177:
144:
131:Gershon Legman
110:with a strict
89:, it forms a
27:Form of poetry
26:
24:
14:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1389:
1378:
1375:
1373:
1370:
1368:
1365:
1363:
1362:Stanzaic form
1360:
1359:
1357:
1347:
1345:
1342:
1340:
1336:
1334:
1330:
1329:
1325:
1321:
1317:
1314:
1312:
1311:
1306:
1303:
1302:#notalimerick
1299:
1296:
1293:
1290:
1288:
1284:
1282:
1278:
1277:
1273:
1270:
1269:
1264:
1261:
1260:
1256:
1251:
1247:
1244:
1240:
1237:
1233:
1230:
1227:
1226:The Horn Book
1223:
1220:
1217:
1213:
1211:
1207:
1204:
1200:
1197:
1196:
1192:
1177:on 2021-05-26
1176:
1172:
1171:"Math Mayhem"
1166:
1163:
1150:
1146:
1140:
1137:
1124:
1120:
1114:
1111:
1098:
1094:
1088:
1085:
1079:
1076:
1064:
1062:9780877790426
1058:
1054:
1053:
1046:
1043:
1039:
1033:
1030:
1026:
1021:
1018:
1012:
1009:
1005:
1001:
997:
993:
989:
983:
980:
968:on 2013-02-20
967:
963:
959:
953:
950:
944:
941:
937:
933:
927:
924:
918:
915:
902:
898:
892:
889:
885:
884:9789062033706
881:
877:
871:
868:
864:
858:
855:
849:
846:
840:
837:
825:
824:
816:
813:
808:
802:
798:
793:
792:
783:
780:
776:
772:
768:
764:
760:
756:
753:(1692–1761):
752:
746:
743:
732:
728:
722:
719:
712:
706:
703:
700:
697:
694:
691:
688:
685:
682:
679:
676:
673:
670:
669:Double dactyl
667:
664:
661:
658:
655:
654:
649:
648:Poetry portal
643:
638:
633:
629:
616:
612:
608:
601:
598:
571:
569:
562:
545:
543:
542:
538:
534:
527:
510:
508:
501:
487:
480:
478:
471:
454:
448:
446:
441:
428:
410:
407:
405:
401:
397:
394:in his first
393:
386:
382:
378:
371:
368:
367:
362:
345:
343:
338:
337:
333:Although the
331:
329:
326:
322:
318:
314:
310:
302:
300:
298:
294:
292:
291:drinking song
288:
287:limerick song
284:
280:
276:
272:
268:
263:
261:
257:
253:
249:
245:
241:
237:
233:
228:
224:
222:
218:
214:
210:
206:
198:
194:
190:
185:
178:
173:
168:
162:
149:
142:
139:
136:
132:
128:
124:
120:
115:
113:
109:
106:
102:
96:
95:drinking song
92:
91:limerick song
88:
84:
83:
74:
44:
37:
33:
19:
1377:Poetic forms
1309:
1286:
1274:
1266:
1249:
1242:
1236:The Limerick
1235:
1225:
1215:
1209:
1202:
1193:Bibliography
1179:. Retrieved
1175:the original
1165:
1153:. Retrieved
1148:
1139:
1127:. Retrieved
1122:
1113:
1101:. Retrieved
1097:The Guardian
1096:
1087:
1078:
1066:. Retrieved
1051:
1045:
1037:
1032:
1024:
1020:
1011:
1003:
999:
995:
991:
987:
982:
970:. Retrieved
966:the original
961:
952:
943:
935:
931:
926:
917:
905:. Retrieved
901:Poetry Forms
900:
891:
875:
870:
862:
857:
848:
839:
827:. Retrieved
822:
815:
790:
782:
770:
766:
762:
758:
754:
745:
734:. Retrieved
730:
721:
604:
599:
572:
568:Leigh Mercer
565:
548:
539:
530:
513:
504:
483:
477:W.S. Gilbert
474:
457:
452:
444:
424:
408:
389:
380:
365:
364:
348:
334:
332:
328:parlour game
321:Maigue Poets
308:
306:
295:
271:alliteration
264:
251:
247:
243:
239:
235:
231:
229:
225:
202:
197:Walter Crane
192:
145:
140:
116:
112:rhyme scheme
42:
40:
1155:19 February
1129:19 February
681:Light verse
507:John Clarke
392:Edward Lear
385:Edward Lear
372:Edward Lear
227:customary.
221:amphibrachs
119:Edward Lear
1356:Categories
1181:2019-05-29
897:"Limerick"
759:instead of
736:2019-12-12
713:References
657:Chastushka
449:Variations
285:to form a
242:"; "There
213:anapaestic
105:amphibrach
1367:Word play
1149:UrbanFilm
1123:UrbanFilm
1103:6 October
1068:6 October
992:surrender
972:6 October
829:6 October
505:Comedian
303:Etymology
279:word play
275:assonance
238:from the
215:, or one
209:syllables
207:of three
174:, Ireland
123:folkloric
100:anapestic
18:Limericks
1234:(1988).
1224:(1964).
693:Quintain
663:Clerihew
634:See also
613:, and a
486:St. Bees
309:limerick
234:a young
172:Limerick
108:trimeter
43:limerick
32:Limerick
962:YouTube
761:Axibus.
593:
580:√
575:
283:refrain
256:prosody
250:from De
135:obscene
87:refrain
36:LYMErix
1295:OEDILF
1059:
996:settle
907:31 May
886:. p102
882:
803:
427:Smyrna
246:was a
82:-ər-ik
1279:from
769:From
615:score
611:gross
607:dozen
252:troit
240:coast
189:fable
127:taboo
1157:2021
1131:2021
1105:2014
1070:2014
1057:ISBN
974:2014
909:2020
880:ISBN
831:2014
801:ISBN
609:, a
313:City
248:girl
244:once
217:iamb
205:feet
179:Form
103:and
797:458
535:'s
315:or
273:or
236:man
232:was
195:by
191:of
80:LIM
1358::
1318:,
1265:,
1147:.
1121:.
1095:.
1002:,
998:,
994:,
960:.
899:.
799:.
729:.
605:A
544::
479::
269:,
223:.
64:ər
41:A
1308:'
1304:"
1291:.
1184:.
1159:.
1133:.
1107:.
1072:.
1006:.
976:.
938:.
911:.
833:.
809:.
739:.
590:7
587:/
582:4
488:,
73:/
70:k
67:ɪ
61:m
58:ɪ
55:l
52:ˈ
49:/
45:(
38:.
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
