The Art of the Limerick

Phyllis Stewart was one of the most popular writers at FanStory and she will be missed. She LOVED limericks and one of her most recent posts informed her readers as to the more appropriate ways of creating them.

Here's a contest in her honor, with HER instructions. *smile* You may choose any topic of your choice, but nothing that would require a flag, please. (A bit of 'bawdy' is okay, but nothing over the line, please.)

Following are Phyllis's Limerick instructions:

"Edward Lear popularized the form when he was writing "nonsense" poems back in 1845-1872. They weren't called limericks for another century.

The problem with limericks seems to be in the rhythm. The form does not depend only on syllable count, which may vary between 8.8.5.5.8 and 9.9.6.6.9 depending on the number of weak syllables (da) that start a line. Here is a simple 8-5 form written to show the rhythm of the syllables (da=weak; DUM=strong).

da DUM da da DUM da da DUM
da DUM da da DUM da da DUM
da DUM da da DUM
da DUM da da DUM
da DUM da da DUM da da DUM

Putting words to it (weak=lower case; strong=upper case) gives this:

a MAN bought a HORSE in the SQUARE
he THOUGHT it looked GOOD stand-ing THERE
yet WHEN he rode OUT
he FOUND it had GOUT
and PROM-ised to GIVE it good CARE

Here's a 9,9,6,6,9 example, #1:

da da DUM da da DUM da da DUM
da da DUM da da DUM da da DUM
da da DUM da da DUM
da da DUM da da DUM
da da DUM da da DUM da da DUM

~OR~ #2

da DUM da da DUM da da DUM da
da DUM da da DUM da da DUM da
da DUM da da DUM da
da DUM da da DUM da
da DUM da da DUM da da DUM da

Both of these sound the same when read aloud since the dahs run together.

And you may add or lose a starting da where you need to. It's accepted."

Good luck!


The contest winner will win half of the prize pool of 90.00 member dollars. In this contest at least 2 submissions must be made for the vote to begin.

Deadline: Contest is closed. Deadline was Thursday, February 6, 2020.

Full Contest Listing