How to Write a Limerick

What a Limerick Looks Like

There once was a man who loved shoes.

He had so many he didn’t have a clue.

He decided to sell,

But didn’t want to tell,

For he really wanted to keep all his shoes

1. Line One. For you to be able to complete a limerick, you need to decide on your first line. Keep in mind that the last word will create the rhyming words for lines two and lines five.
2. Line Two. First pick the last word of the second line. After you choose the last word of the second line, you will be able to create the sentence. Remember the poem doesn’t really need to make sense and should be funny.
3. Make a Pattern. The first, second and fifth lines have the same pattern. The rhythm of these lines should  have a certain beat to them. If you were to put the beat to words it would sound something like this: da Dum da da Dum da da Dum. The “Dum”  is actually an accent beat.
4. Lines Three and Four. Lines three and four have a beat that is different from the other lines, and these two lines rhyme with each other. The beat for these lines is as follows: da Dum da da Dum.
5. Final Line. The fifth line rhymes with the first two, so go back to the same beat as those. It is easiest if you create the last word first and then craft a sentence and beat to match that word.

Limericks are funny and humorous. They are used to make you laugh and enjoy poetry. Even if you are not a lover of poetry, you will enjoy creating and listening to limericks. So go ahead, it’s your turn!

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