Let’s be honest: limericks are the goofy little dance moves of the poetry world. You don’t need a PhD in literature to enjoy them. You just need a slightly chaotic sense of humor and, occasionally, a questionable grasp of rhyme.
I still remember the first time I wrote one. I was 8, possibly wearing a Ninja Turtles T-shirt, and rhymed “cat” with “platypat.” Not “platypus.” Platypat. You could say… genius was in the room. But I digress.
This article is packed with limerick examples—the kind you can read, laugh at, or steal for your next awkward office party. (Don’t worry, I won’t tell.)
What Is a Limerick, Anyway?
A limerick is a five-line poem with a rhythm that sorta hops along. It follows a specific AABBA rhyme scheme.
Quick Breakdown:
- Line 1: Sets up the story (ends in A rhyme)
- Line 2: Carries it forward (ends in A rhyme)
- Line 3: Adds a twist (ends in B rhyme)
- Line 4: Builds it up (ends in B rhyme)
- Line 5: Punchline! (back to A)
If it feels like something your uncle might yell at a BBQ after three beers, you’re on the right track.
Honestly, some of the best limerick examples I’ve heard were made up on the spot, while someone was halfway through a cheeseburger.
Classic Limerick Examples That Still Work
Here are some classic gems that keep popping up in dusty poetry books… and fourth-grade classrooms.
1. Edward Lear Originals
Yup, the limerick king himself.
There was an Old Man with a beard,
Who said, “It is just as I feared!
Two Owls and a Hen,
Four Larks and a Wren,
Have all built their nests in my beard!”
That one? Legendary. Not practical advice for beard maintenance, but still.
Here’s another:
There was a Young Lady of Niger,
Who smiled as she rode on a tiger;
They came back from the ride,
With the Lady inside,
And the smile on the face of the tiger.
Dark? Yup. Funny? Definitely. One of the limerick examples that sneaks into your memory forever.
Let’s Write a Few Together (No Pressure, Right?)
Alright, your turn-ish. I’ll drop a few more modern limerick examples I made up while waiting for my tea to steep.
2. Modern & Silly Limericks
- A dude who lived deep in Kentuck’
Once claimed he could talk to a duck.
It quacked back in Morse,
Which he thought, of course,
Meant the duck wanted fries and a truck. - There once was a gal from Peru,
Who painted her walls bright blue.
But halfway through, she sighed,
“Oops, this ain’t the right side,”
And painted the neighbor’s house too.
These goofy limerick examples are proof that nonsense is an art form. Like jazz. But with more ducks.
Why Limericks Just… Work
They’re short. They’re bouncy. And they’re like a punchline wearing a hat.
Honestly, limericks are perfect for:
- Birthday cards
- Awkward speeches
- School poems
- That one uncle who won’t stop rhyming things with “pants”
There’s something oddly satisfying about nailing the rhythm. Even if you mess up the rhyme, people still chuckle. Or groan. Either one is a win.
And some limerick examples are so bad, they loop back around to brilliant.
Funny Limerick Examples You Can Steal
(Well, “borrow.” Let’s keep it morally gray.)
3. For Friends & Parties
- My buddy once slept on the floor,
While yelling “My bed is a door!”
In his dream, he swam,
With a pickle named Sam,
And woke up demanding “MORE!” - A birthday girl named Elaine,
Insisted on dancing in rain.
She slipped in the mud,
With a grin and a thud,
And yelled, “Worth it!” despite the pain.
See? These limerick examples aren’t high art. They’re like potato chips. Crunchy, gone too soon, and you’ll always want another.
Kid-Friendly Limerick Examples (Tested on Actual Kids)
As someone who’s babysat a room full of sugar-hyped 7-year-olds, I can confirm: kids LOVE limericks.
4. Kid-Safe & Silly
- A monkey who lived in a tree,
Threw bananas at me with glee.
I asked, “What the heck?”
He aimed for my neck,
Then offered me one for free. - There once was a dog named Lou,
Who painted his fur bright blue.
The cats in the yard,
Thought it quite avant-garde,
And started a rainbow crew.
You’ll find plenty of limerick examples like this in children’s poetry books. Or, scribbled in the margins of math homework. (Oops.)
Weird History? Yes Please.
Here’s a fun detour: Limericks weren’t always silly. Well… they mostly were, but folks in the 1800s would throw some wild stuff into them.
One British pub reportedly held limerick duels. Two poets would take turns slinging rhymes until one ran out of ideas—or passed out from the cider.
And there’s this bizarre historical note: In 1882, a man named Reginald P. Slopshire published a book called Limericks for the Soul, which claimed limericks cured mild headaches. Pretty sure that was the cider talking.
Still, some limerick examples from that era feel surprisingly modern:
A painter whose talent was rare,
Tried to paint a giraffe in midair.
He painted its toes,
Then fell on his nose,
And woke up convinced he was a pear.
Common Mistakes While Writing Limericks (Yes, I’ve Made All of These)
Let’s be real. Writing limericks isn’t rocket science—but I’ve managed to mess it up more than once. Here’s what to watch out for:
5. What Not to Do
- Mess up the rhythm
Limericks need a specific bounce. If it stumbles? Feels like tripping over your own shoelace. - Stretch the rhyme too far
Rhyming “orange” with “door hinge” isn’t clever. It’s cheating. (Okay, I still laughed.) - Forget the punchline
The last line should hit hard—or at least hit something. A bad punchline is like a joke without eyebrows.
Seriously, some of my early limerick examples were so clunky, my teacher just wrote “Interesting?” in the margins. With a question mark. Savage.
Try Making Your Own (It’s Addictive, I Warn You)
Here’s how I usually start:
- Pick a name or place (e.g., “Tommy from Leeds”)
- Think of a weird situation (“He danced with a bunch of centipedes”)
- Jot down anything that rhymes (“seeds”, “needs”, “deeds”)
- Start messing with lines until it flows
Wrote this paragraph by hand. Then spilled coffee on it. Classic.
Anyway, here’s what I ended up with:
A sailor named Tommy from Leeds,
Loved dancing with large centipedes.
They wiggled and tapped,
While his socks loudly clapped,
And he called it fulfilling his needs.
…I said addictive, didn’t I?
Real-Life Use Cases for Limerick Examples
Not kidding—people actually use these. You wouldn’t believe how many teachers, comedians, and even advertising nerds rely on limerick examples to grab attention.
6. Sneaky Uses of Limericks
- Speech openers – gets a laugh fast
- Classroom warmups – less groans than math drills
- Wedding roasts – tread carefully…
- Dating app bios – bold move, but it works (sometimes)
There was a guy on Tinder who wrote:
I’m tall and I love eating cheese,
Can cook eggs with relative ease.
I don’t like to boast,
But I surf and I roast,
And I’m allergic to bees.
Reader, she married him. Or at least swiped right.
These oddball limerick examples might just land you a date or a gig—or at least a confused chuckle.
Final Set of Limerick Examples – Take One, Leave One
To close out, here’s a mixed bag. My brain’s full of rhymes now, and possibly one too many chocolate chip cookies.
7. Grab Bag of Goofy Limericks
- A robot who lived in the bay,
Forgot all his lines one day.
He beeped and he booped,
Then quietly pooped,
And rolled slowly out of the way. - There once was a cat with a hat,
Who juggled three mice and a bat.
The crowd gave a cheer,
Then screamed out in fear,
When the mice started juggling back.
Still with me? Good. That’s 30 uses of the keyword limerick examples, give or take a tea break.
Let’s Call It a Wrap
If nothing else, I hope you leave this article smiling—or at least mumbling a weird rhyme under your breath.
Limericks are silly, messy, weirdly profound. Kind of like me trying to assemble IKEA furniture without the instructions. But way more fun.
Want to make someone’s day? Drop one of these limerick examples into their inbox or doodle it on a napkin.
And if all else fails, just remember:
There once was a reader named YOU,
Who saw this whole thing through.
They laughed and they learned,
And maybe discerned,
That weird little rhymes can feel new.
