Limerick (poetry)

A limerick ( LIM-ər-ik) is a form of verse that appeared in England in the early years of the 18th century. In combination with a refrain, it forms a limerick song, a traditional humorous drinking song often with obscene verses. It is written in five-line, predominantly anapestic and amphibrach trimeter with a strict rhyme scheme of A A B B A {\displaystyle \mathrm {AABBA} } , in which the first, second and fifth lines rhyme, while the third and fourth ones are shorter and share a different rhyme. It was popularized by Edward Lear in the 19th century, although he did not use the term. From a folkloric point of view, the form is essentially transgressive; violation of taboo is part of its function. According to Gershon Legman, who compiled the largest and most scholarly anthology, this folk form is always obscene and the exchange of limericks is most commonly observed among comparatively well-educated men. The following example is a limerick of unknown origin: