You Are Here: Home > Hong Kong ELT Network > Articles > Limericks

Limericks

This article contains a number of sound files. To listen to them
and continue reading the article, right click the first line of the
limerick and Open in New Window. To save the file to your computer for use in your classroom, right click and Save Target As...

In the upcoming Language Arts Elective, Learning English through Poems and Songs, the syllabus quotes learners
focus on reading and writing different types of poems, such as …
limericks. Learners will learn the characteristics and features of each
of the different types of poems. They will also be encouraged to
express various themes and personal feelings by producing poems of
their own.

In this article we look at the history and structure of limericks as well as how to read them aloud.

What is a limerick?

Let’s start by listening to a limerick. Notice the story, the
rhythm (the beats) and the rhyme (the sounds at the end of the lines).

There was a young lady of Spain

Who was terribly sick in a train,

Not once, but again

And again and again,

And again and again and again

We have deliberately chosen a limerick with repetitive words and sounds so as to highlight the rhyme and rhythm.

The history of Limericks

Limericks can be traced back to the fourteenth century; in fact, you
can find limericks in some of Shakespeare’s plays. However, limericks
didn’t really become popular as a form of poetry until the mid
nineteenth century, when the poet, artist and author, Edward Lear
published a popular book of them.

One important thing to understand about limericks is that the
content tends to be humorous or can even be nonsense. There are lots
of limericks suitable for children on the internet; however care needs
to be exercised when selecting limericks for class as many you may find
can have adult themes.

The structure of limericks

Let’s look at another limerick.

There was a young man from Kowloon

Who was whisked off by a typhoon.

He was blown out to sea

For two days or three

And finally washed up in Rangoon.

Noticing Questions 1

How many lines can you see?

How many long lines can you see?

How many short lines?

Can you see any words which rhyme?

A limerick is a five line poem which has a strict pattern.

Lines 1, 2, and 5 have three strong beats (usually over seven to ten syllables), and they each rhyme with one another (Kowloon, Typhoon and Rangoon).

Lines 3 and 4 of the limerick have two strong beats (usually over
five to seven syllables) and also rhyme with each other (in this
example, sea and three).

Listen this time to the pattern

da DA da da DA da da DA

da DA da da DA da da DA

da DA da da DA

da DA da da DA

da DA da da DA da da DA

Try tapping your foot along to the rhythm, three taps in lines 1, 2 and 5 and two in lines 3 and 4.

Here’s another limerick. Can you follow the pattern? Can you see which lines rhyme? How many beats in each line?

There was an old man from Peru,

who dreamed he was eating his shoe.

He awoke in the night

with a terrible fright,

and found out that it was quite true.

Notice that lines 1, 2 and 5 all have the same number of beats (3) and syllables (8) and the final words rhyme (Peru, shoe, true).

Notice that lines 3 and 4 have the same number of beats (2) and syllables (6) and the final words rhyme (night, fright).

How to read a limerick out loud?

Let’s first have a look at the rhythm. Listen again to the rhythm without worrying about any words.

da DA da da DA da da DA

da DA da da DA da da DA

da DA da da DA

da DA da da DA

da DA da da DA da da DA

The DAs show the stressed parts of each line, the (small) ‘das’ are unstressed.

The most important thing to remember is that the normal rules of
sentence stress do not apply to this form of poetry; it is the beat
that takes over.

Noticing Question 2

Let’s look at this sentence

There was an old man from Peru

Which words would you normally stress?

Listen again to the limerick. Can you hear which syllables are stressed in the poem?

Look at the pattern, da DA da da DA da da DA. Can you see which syllable will be stressed?

Even though was would not normally be stressed, in order to fit in with the rhythm of the limerick, we must stress it.

The ability of a poet to ignore some of the minor requirements of grammar and pronunciation for poetic effect is known as poetic license.

Rhythm is key to reading aloud a limerick. Let’s practise saying
one. We will slowly build up the limerick until you can say it by
yourself.

Listen again and repeat. Listen and repeat as many times as you need until you feel comfortable with it.

da DA da da DA da da DA

da DA da da DA da da DA

da DA da da DA

da DA da da DA

da DA da da DA da da DA

Now try again with the rhyming sounds

da DA da da DA da da LOON

da DA da da DA da da PHOON

da DA da da SEA

da DA da da THREE

da DA da da DA da da GOON

Now try the complete limerick

There was a young man from Kowloon

Who was whisked off by a typhoon.

He was blown out to sea

For two days or three

And finally washed up in Rangoon.

In the next article, we'll look at the benefits of studying limericks, the content of limericks, and some steps you can take to help your students write them without becoming overwhelmed by the structure and rhyming scheme.

Answer Key to Noticing Questions 1

How many lines can you see? 5

How many long lines can you see? 3

How many short lines? 2

Can you see any words which rhyme? Kowloon, typhoon, Rangoon; sea, three

Answer Key to Noticing Question 2

Conversational words stress (ie, different from limerick beats)

There was an old man from Peru

There was an OLD MAN from PERU