Limerick Day

It's Limerick Day!

A limerick is a five-line poem written with one couplet and one triplet. If a couplet is a two-line rhymed poem, then a triplet would be a three-line rhymed poem. The rhyme pattern is aabba with lines 1, 2 and 5 containing 3 beats and rhyming and lines 3 and 4 having 2 beats and rhyming.

Limericks are meant to be funny. They often contain hyperbole, onomatopoeia, idioms, puns, and other figurative devices. The last line of a good limerick contains the "punch line" or "heart of the joke."

Who knew limericks could be so fun?!?!

Pearson, Susan.
Grimericks.
2005.
Marshall Cavendish Inc.

A whole book full of grimly written lyrics? This would make for perfect reading near Halloween or if the kids love scary stories. It's a different take on limericks, but still gets the idea across... would be an interesting addition to a poetry unit in the classroom!

Dear Reader, please lend me your ear.
If ghosts, ghouls, and goblins you fear,
don't open this book.
No- don't even look!
There are spooky things hiding in here.

That pretty much sums it up! My favorite limerick was,

When Howard the Goblin caught sight
of Gertrude the Gremlin one night,
he fell in a swoon
that lasted till June.
It must have been love at first fright.

Silverstein, Shel.
Don't Bump the Glump.
2008.
Harper Collins Publishers.

Silverstein's latest book of poetry is not only humorous, it's also his only book available with fully colored illustrations! I only found one limerick within the pages, but the book is definitely worth having in the classroom's poetry section!

In the undergrowth
There dwells the Bloath
Who feeds upon poets and tea.
Luckily I know this about him,
While he knows almost nothing of me.

Lear, Edward.
A Book of Nonsense.
1980.
The Viking Press.

If you're looking for an entire book about limericks, this is the one for you! If this doesn't get across the notion of limericks, nothing will! Even though it's an older one, it's no less great! My personal favorite is,

There was an Old Person of Dover,
Who rushed through a field of blue clover,
But some very large bees
Stungs his nose and his knees,
So he very soon went back to Dover.

If you're interested in finding out more information about any of the books reviewed or if you'd like to purchase the books, click the cover image for a link to Amazon.com.