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Limerick stanza

Form
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

A five-line humorous stanza with an AABBA rhyme scheme and anapestic meter

Detailed Definition
Limerick stanza is a five-line humorous poem with an AABBA rhyme scheme and anapestic meter—typically trimeter in lines 1, 2, and 5, and dimeter in lines 3 and 4—creating a bouncy, rhythmic cadence ideal for wit and absurdity. Traditionally beginning with “There once was a…” and featuring a person and place, it builds to a punchline in the final line, often with bawdy or nonsensical twists. While associated with light verse, modern poets sometimes subvert its comic expectations for social critique or emotional depth. Mastery requires precise metrical control and clever rhyming; weak limericks often miscount beats or force rhymes, undermining the form’s musicality and surprise.
Example
Example in poetry:
There once was a man from Nantucket, / Who kept all his cash in a bucket. / But his daughter, named Nan, / Ran away with a man, / And as for the bucket, Nantucket; There was an old person of Sparta, / Who had twenty sons and one daughter; / He fed them on snails, / And weighed them in scales, / That wonderful person of Sparta; There was a young lady of Wales, / Who caught fish with her fingers and nails; / When asked, “How’s your fish?” / She replied, “Only wish / They’d bite harder!”—that girl from Wales; There once was a fellow named Kim, / Whose teeth were exceedingly slim. / He brushed them each night, / With all of his might, / But still they would barely stay in
Additional Notes
Limerick stanza (AABBA) is a comic five-line form with anapestic meter and bouncy rhythm. Lines 1,2,5 are trimeter; 3,4 are dimeter. Traditionally features absurdity, wordplay, and a punchline. Modern poets sometimes use it for social critique. Students should master the meter—weak limericks often miscount beats. Avoid forced rhymes; the humor should feel effortless.
Also Known As
anapestic quintain comic five-line form rollicking AABBA verse AABBA poem
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