Key takeaways
A limerick is a five-line comic poem with the rhyme scheme AABBA, a bouncy rhythm, and usually a punch line in the last line.
Lines 1, 2 and 5 are longer (about three beats) and rhyme with each other. Lines 3 and 4 are shorter (about two beats) and rhyme with each other.
This page has 20 original, family-friendly limericks, written for this guide.
To write one, start with the last line (the joke), then choose rhymes, then build the setup.
A limerick is the poem that tells a joke in five lines. It has a shape you can feel before you can explain it: a bouncing rhythm, a pair of rhymes and a last line that lands the punch.
This guide explains what a limerick is, how the rhyme and rhythm work, and how to write one. Then you will find 20 original, clean limericks to read aloud or borrow as a pattern. Every poem here was written for this page.
What Is a Limerick?
The Academy of American Poets describes the limerick as a form that is often comical, nonsensical and popular in children's literature. It is composed of five lines (or five-line stanzas) and follows a strict rhyme scheme and bouncy rhythm, which makes it easy to memorize. Britannica gives the standard technical description: five lines rhyming AABBA, with a dominant anapestic meter and two metrical feet in lines three and four, three in the others. See the Academy of American Poets glossary entry and the Britannica article on the limerick.
In plain terms:
- Five lines.
- Rhyme scheme AABBA: lines 1, 2 and 5 rhyme with each other, and lines 3 and 4 rhyme with each other.
- A galloping rhythm: two unstressed syllables then a stressed one, again and again (da da DUM, da da DUM).
- Humor, usually with a twist in the last line.
How the Rhythm Works
Say the first line of this limerick aloud and clap on the capital letters:
A BAker named BEN from PeRU
You can hear a da da DUM pattern: "a BA-ker named BEN from pe-RU." Lines 1, 2 and 5 have about three beats. Lines 3 and 4 are shorter, with about two beats:
He CLIMBED with a SPOON
You do not need to count syllables exactly. Read the line aloud, and if it trips, change a word. Limericks are meant to be said, not studied.
How to Write a Limerick in Five Steps
- Start with a joke or a twist for line 5. What is the funny or surprising ending?
- Pick the last word of line 5 and find at least two rhymes for it. These will end lines 1 and 2.
- Write lines 1 and 2: introduce a character and a place or a quirk. "There once was a..." is a classic opening.
- Write lines 3 and 4: two short lines with their own rhyme that build toward the twist.
- Read aloud and fix the rhythm. Swap words until it bounces.
A rhyming dictionary helps, and so does the free rhyme generator.
20 Limerick Examples
All limericks below are original and suitable for all ages.
1.
A baker named Ben from Peru
Baked a cake that was taller than two.
He climbed with a spoon,
Sang out of tune,
And the whole town came over to chew.
2.
A cat in a hat on a mat
Said, "I'm far too refined to be fat."
But the tuna was good,
And she ate what she could,
Now the hat doesn't fit, and that's that.
3.
A sleepy young student named Moore
Fell asleep in his class by the door.
When the bell rang at three,
He woke up with a "Whee!"
And ran home to sleep a bit more.
4.
A dog who lived deep in Spain
Loved to dance in the pouring rain.
He would twirl, he would spin,
With a wide doggy grin,
Then he'd shake and go do it again.
5.
A gardener known as Miss Claire
Grew a pumpkin as big as a chair.
It rolled down the hill,
Gave the mayor a thrill,
And won the grand prize at the fair.
6.
A young robot named Pete from Del Mar
Tried to make a fine cup from a jar.
It spilled on the floor,
Then it spilled out some more,
So he mopped with a mop shaped like a star.
7.
A king with a very long beard
Found the weather was awfully weird.
When the wind gave a puff,
He had quite enough,
Now his beard is a kite, and he cheered.
8.
A student who hated to read
Found a book that was all he would need.
It was funny and fast,
And he finished at last,
And said, "Give me the next one with speed!"
9.
A teacher who went by Miss Prue
Wore a hat that was shiny and blue.
When she walked through the door,
All the kids gave a roar,
And they asked for a matching one too.
10.
A boy who loved pizza with cheese
Ate a slice that was big as his knees.
He grew very round,
Then rolled on the ground,
And he said, "More, if you please."
11.
There once was an owl named Sue
Who stayed up all night, as owls do.
She would read and she'd write
By the moon's silver light,
And she slept through the day in a shoe.
12.
A clock that was always too slow
Made the whole village late, don't you know.
When the mayor was told,
He said, "Wind it, be bold!"
So they set it, and off they all go.
13.
A dragon with hiccups named Claude
Sent up sparks, and the crowd was awed.
Each hic made a flare
That lit up the air,
And his fame spread to cities abroad.
14.
A sailor who sailed on a shoe
Said, "It's roomy, and cheap, and it's new."
But the sea was too wet,
And he wasn't dry yet,
So he sailed on a boat, as you do.
15.
A bear who was wearing a tie
Went to dinner and ordered a pie.
He ate every crumb,
Then he patted his tum,
And he left with a wave and goodbye.
16.
A turtle who dreamed to be fleet
Put wheels on her shell and her feet.
She rolled down the hill
With a whoop and a thrill,
And was home before dinner. Neat!
17.
A student who forgot his pen
Borrowed one, and then borrowed again.
He had borrowed ten,
Then eleven, and then
The teacher said, "Now buy your own, Ben."
18.
A girl found a map in a book
And followed it down to a brook.
At the end, there were bees,
And a field full of peas,
And a sandwich for those who would look.
19.
A musician who played on a spoon
Gave a concert each night to the moon.
When the sky filled with stars,
And the crickets played bars,
They all joined in a stirring tune.
20.
A poet who couldn't find rhyme
Searched the whole room for a long time.
He looked under chairs,
And up all the stairs,
And found one, at last, in a lime.
Tips for Better Limericks
- Make the last line the joke. The first four lines set it up.
- Use strong, concrete characters and places. "A baker named Ben" is better than "a person."
- Rhyme on stressed syllables. "Peru" and "two" work. Rhymes that fall on weak syllables feel off.
- Cut filler words just to fit the rhythm. Reorder the sentence instead.
- Keep it clean for a general audience. The form has a long tradition of rude versions, but a funny clean one works for everyone.
- Read it aloud, to a friend if you can.
- Do not explain the joke.
Common Limerick Mistakes
- Wrong rhyme pattern. The scheme is AABBA, and a stray rhyme in line 3 breaks it.
- Limping rhythm. If you stumble when reading, reword.
- No twist. A limerick that just describes something is a short poem, not a limerick.
- Forced rhymes that distort meaning.
- Lines that are too long. Lines 3 and 4 should be noticeably shorter.
Limerick Starters
- "There once was a [person or animal] from [place]..."
- "A [job] who loved [thing]..."
- "A [object] that was always too..."
- "A young [creature] who couldn't [do something]..."
Get Help Writing Yours
If you want a spark, the free poem generator can draft verses on a topic, the rhyme generator can find rhymes for a tricky last word, and the free joke generator is handy for twists. They are free to use. A limerick is best when the rhythm is yours, so read aloud and rewrite until it bounces. For other forms, see our guides to haiku, acrostic poems and free verse.
What This Guide Cannot Do
The limerick is a loose, playful form, and poets differ on how strictly to follow the meter, so some of the examples above may scan a little differently depending on how you say them. We have kept the content clean, though the form has a long history of adult humor. If you are writing for an assignment, follow your teacher's definition of the form.
