Create your own poem and share them with your friends

Limerick Day is nearly here.

If you don’t know when, do not fear.

We are here to assist.

So do not resist.

After reading on, all will be clear.

We apologise for that very poor attempt at a limerick, however after reading on you will be able to create your very own to impressive your friends and family.

Thursday, May 12 is National Limerick Day, which is a day set aside to pay respect to Edward Lear, the poet known for his unique style of writing and for making the limerick style of poems known.

How to write your very own limerick

A limerick is a short and sweet poem, which when executed correctly can be charming, rhythmic and entertaining.

Made up of five lines, he final words of the first, second and fifth line should rhyme.

The final word of the third and fourth line should also rhyme.

As well as the rhyming, there are a set number of syllables each line should have.

The first, second and fifth line should be made of eight or nine syllables, while the third and fourth should have five or six.

Create a subject or think of a story you want to tell and following these rhyming and syllable rule, to create your own limericks.

Examples of limericks

As mentioned previously, famed poet Edward Lear is widely credited for growing the reputation of limericks with his own style of nonsense poetry.

Here are a few examples of limericks written by Lear.

There was an old man with a beard,

Who said ‘it is just as I feared!

Two owls and a hen,

Four larks and a wren,

Have all built their nests in my beard!

There was an old man in a boat,

Who said, 'I'm afloat, I'm afloat!'

When they said, 'No! you ain't!'

He was ready to faint,

That unhappy old man in a boat.

There is a Young Lady whose nose

Continually prospers and grows;

When it grew out of sight,

she exclaimed in a fright,

"Oh! Farewell to the end of my nose!"