Writing Limericks

Today, the children are learning about Limerick poems.

A limerick is a poem of one stanza and five lines. Lines 1, 2, and 5 have eight or nine syllables and rhyme. Lines 3 and 4 have five or six syllables and rhyme. Limericks are often humorous. This poetry form was popularized by Edward Lear.

As a good teacher, I forced the children to write their own limericks. And, yes, there were some tears. You would have thought I was pulling teeth the way some people were acting. After a bit of a struggle, each child popped out a limerick.

Here is D's:

A good mouse said to a cat, "Beware,

A cat catcher has travelled from Grare!"

     When the danger was past,

     The old cat broke his fast

And ate the mouse who shouted beware.

Here's S's:

There was a dog from Houston who begged

And by a man named Harry was egged.

     Soon he was more wary

     Of bad men named Harry.

And never again did the dog beg.

And, to complete the humiliation, here's mine:

There once was a housewife online

Who was plugged-in too much of the time.

     She blogged and she tweeted

     And liked to stay seated

On her rapidly growing behind.

Ahem. It's a good thing I'm heading to the YMCA this afternoon. Otherwise, I'd be entirely too sedentary.