Limericks have been making people laugh for over 200 years! Edward Lear (1812-1888) was an English artist, illustrator, author and poet who made limericks a popular kind of poem in the 19th century. Limericks are usually funny short poems that have 5 five lines and a special beat and rhyming pattern.
The last word of lines 1 , 2 and 5 rhyme and have 9 beats.
The last word of lines 3 and 4 rhyme and have 6 beats. Also, lines 3 and 4 are shorter than the others.
A example is:
An ambitious young fellow named Matt
Tried to parachute using his hat.
Folks below looked so small
As he started to fall,
Then got bigger and bigger and SPLAT!
-by Graham Lester
The Children's Room has many limerick books on display to choose from. Here are a couple of staff favorites.
Grimericks
by Susan Pearson
Presents limericks about ghosts, ghouls, goblins, witches, and monsters, including a bathroom singing ghost named Glen Gower and a chess playing ghoul named Augustus.
Pocketful of Nonsense
by James Marshall
Old favorites and original works by Marshall make up this collection of humorous rhymes, limericks, and poems.
