Below are some examples of limericks that have been made by some of
the school's pupils. It you would like to read them, click on a name.
What is a limerick?
A limerick is a humorous verse form, the subject of which is often nonsensical but the
structure of which is strictly prescribed. This definite pattern consists of five
anapaestic lines (a metrical foot comprising two unstressed syllables and one stressed).
Lines one, two, and five contain three metrical feet, and rhyme; lines three and four
contain two metrical feet, and rhyme. Originally, limericks were delivered orally and
served as commentaries on manners and behaviour. The most famous of all limerick writers
was the English painter and humorist Edward Lear. The following, from his Book of
Nonsense (1846), illustrates the genre.
