The limerick is a type of humorous poetry popularized by Edward Lear's "Book of Nonsense" published in 1846. The English magazine Punch became interested in the poetic form, publishing many of them, and even sponsored a contest. The fad of the "clean" limerick lasted for about five years and then faded - to be replaced by the bawdy limerick (the original type). The limerick has gained its widest popularity for the chance it offers one to be cleverly or wittingly 'perverse'.
The limerick is the only fixed poetic form that is known to be native to the English language. We can mostly honestly consider it a part of English folk-poetry. It is said that the earliest limericks may be found as far back as the 14th century, although still partially in iambic metre rather than the modern anapestic metre. They are also seen in the late sixteenth century in the "mad-songs" of wandering beggars known mumpers or mad "Bedlams"s -- and in English drinking songs of the 1600's. Shakespeare, Ben Jonson and Robert Herrick were all known to haved written or used limericks in their works. Limericks are now a folk-expression primarily of the college group and the educated.
So, if your significant other or mother or whomever catches you writing perverse limericks and disapproves, remind them you want to be part of folk history and are only propagating an important historical English verse form.
And if you don't believe me, ask the BreakFast Club at Yale University or the folks at the Oxford University Library or even MENSA's Special Interest Group on Limericks.
Modern limericks generally have five lines -- three long and two short, in the rhyming form "aabba". The first, second and fifth lines have three feet, and the third and fourth lines have two feet. The metre is considered anapestic.
For the rhyming impaired, there is a Semantic rhyming dictionary available online.
Edward Lear was said to have
"rediscovered" the form of the limerick in this anonymous example:
(This limerick describes the severe dietary restriction that was prescribed by physicians for gout before the advent of medication control)
I am not interested in receiving limericks via my email address. If your creative juices flow and you are so compelled as to write one, submit it first to one of the contests listed below.
I was sorry to hear that Ken Smith closed down his Limerick Database website due to action by a manufacturer's attorney regarding a limerick in his collection. His site had the best collection on the web....thank you Ken, for all your hard work.
By the way, Limerick is also a city and country in Ireland. Although limericks were often seen in 18th century Irish songs, they arrived somewhat later in the history of the verse form. So why the use of the title "limerick" is unknown, at least according to my readings on the topic. These are contests that I have stumbled across in my web wanderings. I take no responsibility for whether these are legitimate or fairly run or even still running. I'm just mentioning them here as they appear to be active. You figure it out.
If anyone discovers the above mentioned contests are NOT running or functional, let me know.
If you find more web-based limerick contests that offer trips, gifts, money or Stealth jets, do let me know and I'll post it here.
As a verse of warning to limerick readers:
So just what is this Pentatette?
For those who like limericks...not. The counter above is reset
Return to The WEBster's Home Page
Email to Kathi Webster at webster@katsden.com
Copyright © Kathi Webster, 1996, 1997. All rights reserved.
Where Do I Submit A Limerick on the Web?
Warning!
As you surf through the Internet scene
And find many poems quite obscene
The best limericks are naughty
So don't be so haughty
Tis not a great limerick when clean!
If you think that this makes me quite crass
Then most of these links do bypass
But for the rest o' the lot
The rude verse is what's sought
So I welcome you, laddie or lass!
author: The WEBster - 1995Seal of Approval
I think it's a very good deal
It doesn't eat fish
Nor drip on a dish
And even has MENSA appeal!
Is it just for brains on the Net?
It's more than IQ
For limericks they do
Why haven't you dropped by there yet?
Luring Limerick Links
Other Poetics
As oft' as the national debt
So how often you come
Makes no diff to this sum
Just wipe off your screen if it's wet
