Do you remember the good old times in grade school when the teacher would ask you to write a fun limerick? If not, consider yourself lucky — I certainly do. A limerick is one of those poetic forms that can only be classified as torture for kids. It’s not like they’re actually bad, but they’re probably one of those things you can only really appreciate when you get older. In fact, as I grew up and started taking a genuine interest in writing, suddenly limericks didn’t sound awful anymore.
If you’re not sure what we’re talking about, here’s a quick refresher on how to write a limerick: they are humorous, five-line rhyming poems that usually keep a silly or absurdist tone. They follow an AABBA rhyme scheme, so the first, second, and fifth lines rhyme with one another, while the third line rhymes with the fourth.
Funny limericks are one of the most compact forms of poems. And writing one is also a great way to get started in poetry. They even make for a challenging writing exercise — once you get over the hump of coming up with an idea for one in the first place! If you’re unsure how to begin, let us show you some examples of limericks. These funny short poems, with their bouncy rhythm and absurd themes, may even get you chuckling!
#41
A certain young fellow named Bee-Bee
Wished to wed a woman named Phoebe.
"But," he said, "I must see
What the clerical fee
Be before Phoebe be Phoebe Bee-Bee."
Wished to wed a woman named Phoebe.
"But," he said, "I must see
What the clerical fee
Be before Phoebe be Phoebe Bee-Bee."
unknown
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#42
If you catch a chinchilla in Chile
And cut off its beard, willy-nilly
You can honestly say
That you have just made
A Chilean chinchilla's chin chilly.
And cut off its beard, willy-nilly
You can honestly say
That you have just made
A Chilean chinchilla's chin chilly.
unknown
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#43
There once was a man from the city
Stooped to pat what he thought was a kitty
He gave it a pat
But it wasn't a cat -
They buried his clothes - what a pity!
Stooped to pat what he thought was a kitty
He gave it a pat
But it wasn't a cat -
They buried his clothes - what a pity!
unknown
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#44
There was an old man of the Cape
Who made himself garments of crepe.
When asked, “Do they tear?”
He replied, “Here and there,
But they’re perfectly splendid for shape!”
Who made himself garments of crepe.
When asked, “Do they tear?”
He replied, “Here and there,
But they’re perfectly splendid for shape!”
unknown
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#45
There was a young lady named Cager
Who, as the result of a wager,
Consented to fart
The complete oboe part
Of Mozart’s quartet in F major.
Who, as the result of a wager,
Consented to fart
The complete oboe part
Of Mozart’s quartet in F major.
unknown
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#46
The limerick packs laughs anatomical
Into space that is quite economical.
But the good ones I’ve seen
So seldom are clean
And the clean ones so seldom are comical.
Into space that is quite economical.
But the good ones I’ve seen
So seldom are clean
And the clean ones so seldom are comical.
unknown
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#47
The incredible Wizard of Oz
Retired from his business because
Due to up-to-date science
To most of his clients
He wasn’t the Wizard he was.
Retired from his business because
Due to up-to-date science
To most of his clients
He wasn’t the Wizard he was.
unknown
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#48
A wonderful bird is the pelican
His bill holds more than his belican,
He can take in his beak
Enough food for a week
But I’m damned if I see how the helican.
His bill holds more than his belican,
He can take in his beak
Enough food for a week
But I’m damned if I see how the helican.
unknown
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#49
There once was a lady named Ferris
Whom nothing could ever embarrass.
‘Til the bath salts one day,
in the tub where she lay,
turned out to be Plaster of Paris.
Whom nothing could ever embarrass.
‘Til the bath salts one day,
in the tub where she lay,
turned out to be Plaster of Paris.
unknown
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#50
There once was a girl named Irene
Who lived on distilled kerosene
But she started absorbing
A new hydrocarbon
And since then has never benzene.
Who lived on distilled kerosene
But she started absorbing
A new hydrocarbon
And since then has never benzene.
unknown
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#51
Is algebra fruitless endeavor?
It seems they’ve been trying forever
To find x, y, and z
And it’s quite clear to me:
If they’ve not found them yet then they’ll never.
It seems they’ve been trying forever
To find x, y, and z
And it’s quite clear to me:
If they’ve not found them yet then they’ll never.
unknown
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#52
There was once a young girl who said: “Why
Can’t I look in my ear with my eye?
If I put my mind to it
I’m sure I can do it.
You never can tell till you try.”
Can’t I look in my ear with my eye?
If I put my mind to it
I’m sure I can do it.
You never can tell till you try.”
unknown
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#53
A rather disgruntled young Viking
Found plunder was not to his liking
When they yelled “All ashore,”
He just threw down his oar
And announced, “I’m not striking, I’m striking!”
Found plunder was not to his liking
When they yelled “All ashore,”
He just threw down his oar
And announced, “I’m not striking, I’m striking!”
unknown
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#54
There once was a girl in the choir
Whose voice rose up hoir and hoir,
Till it reached such a height
It went clear out of seight,
And they found it next day in the spoir.
Whose voice rose up hoir and hoir,
Till it reached such a height
It went clear out of seight,
And they found it next day in the spoir.
unknown
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#55
There once was a fly on the wall,
I wonder, why didn’t it fall?
Because its feet stuck?
Or was it just luck?
Or does gravity miss things so small?
I wonder, why didn’t it fall?
Because its feet stuck?
Or was it just luck?
Or does gravity miss things so small?
unknown
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#56
There once was a farmer from Leeds,
Who swallowed a packet of seeds.
It soon came to pass,
He was covered with grass,
But has all the tomatoes he needs.
Who swallowed a packet of seeds.
It soon came to pass,
He was covered with grass,
But has all the tomatoes he needs.
unknown
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#57
There was once a great man in Japan
Whose name on Tuesday began,
It lasted through Sunday
Till twilight on Monday
And it sounded like stones in a can.
Whose name on Tuesday began,
It lasted through Sunday
Till twilight on Monday
And it sounded like stones in a can.
unknown
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#58
Remember when nearly sixteen
On your very first date as a teen
At the movies? If yes,
Then I bet you can't guess
What was shown on the cinema screen.
On your very first date as a teen
At the movies? If yes,
Then I bet you can't guess
What was shown on the cinema screen.
unknown
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#59
There was a young man from Dealing
Who caught the bus for Ealing.
It said on the door
'Don't spit on the floor'
So he jumped up and spat on the ceiling.
Who caught the bus for Ealing.
It said on the door
'Don't spit on the floor'
So he jumped up and spat on the ceiling.
unknown
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#60
There once was a man named Muvett
Who lived in the city of Lovett
But his car broke down
Two miles out of town
And Muvett had to shove it to Lovett!
Who lived in the city of Lovett
But his car broke down
Two miles out of town
And Muvett had to shove it to Lovett!
unknown
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