Tips to writing a good Limerick
Post by OmnipotentEntity
A limerick, like all poetry, is expected to have a certain rhythm. In the case of a limerick the rhythm is two lines of 9 syllables followed by two lines of 5 syllables, followed by a final 9 syllable line with the following rhyming scheme: AABBA.
First, the rhythm is what makes a limerick memorable. The rhythm is
soft HARD soft soft HARD soft soft HARD soft (pause pause pause)
soft HARD soft soft HARD soft soft HARD soft (pause pause pause)
soft HARD soft soft HARD (pause)
soft HARD soft soft HARD (pause)
soft HARD soft soft HARD soft soft HARD soft
Intuitively, we know this. That's how we read limericks normally, in 3/4 time with a single lead in beat to each line. But if we make it more conscious it helps us make limericks that are more memorable.
For instance, this would be a good long line:
You SHOULD always KEEP pockets EMPty
And this one doesn't flow right, because the HARD syllables occur in the middle of words:
AlWAYS keep monEY in pockETS please
This rule apply to pretty much all poetry. You don't want your words to work against your rhythm. (Unless it's intentional.)
Second, rhyming shouldn't sound forced, if you have a word that is difficult to rhyme, you should place it at the end of a rhyming couplet.
For instance:
A man once had a squeaky door hinge.
He greased it with only an orange.
The pulp, it came out
It fell on his snout
And Goo Gone was how he got revenge.
Instead of:
There once was an ant with chordycep
It went mad and couldn't keep in lockstep
then swiftly it dies
'shrooms came out of eyes
The spores quickly towards their victims crept.
If a rhyme sounds forced it probably is. Say your poems out loud. If you cringe, so will everyone else.
First, the rhythm is what makes a limerick memorable. The rhythm is
soft HARD soft soft HARD soft soft HARD soft (pause pause pause)
soft HARD soft soft HARD soft soft HARD soft (pause pause pause)
soft HARD soft soft HARD (pause)
soft HARD soft soft HARD (pause)
soft HARD soft soft HARD soft soft HARD soft
Intuitively, we know this. That's how we read limericks normally, in 3/4 time with a single lead in beat to each line. But if we make it more conscious it helps us make limericks that are more memorable.
For instance, this would be a good long line:
You SHOULD always KEEP pockets EMPty
And this one doesn't flow right, because the HARD syllables occur in the middle of words:
AlWAYS keep monEY in pockETS please
This rule apply to pretty much all poetry. You don't want your words to work against your rhythm. (Unless it's intentional.)
Second, rhyming shouldn't sound forced, if you have a word that is difficult to rhyme, you should place it at the end of a rhyming couplet.
For instance:
A man once had a squeaky door hinge.
He greased it with only an orange.
The pulp, it came out
It fell on his snout
And Goo Gone was how he got revenge.
Instead of:
There once was an ant with chordycep
It went mad and couldn't keep in lockstep
then swiftly it dies
'shrooms came out of eyes
The spores quickly towards their victims crept.
If a rhyme sounds forced it probably is. Say your poems out loud. If you cringe, so will everyone else.
Comment by Falun on 9 Cado 13:5 - 16.27.62
Ah, I couldn't remember if there was a certain number of syllables you were supposed to aim for.
Comment by OmnipotentEntity on 9 Cado 13:5 - 16.34.63
well, honestly, the number of syllables is immaterial next to the rhythm. If you can make a good intuitive rhythm in 3/4 using 8 or 10 or even 11 syllables, go for it.
Comment by kc[135576=] on 10 Ineo 1:0 - 17.39.84
OmnipotentEntity said:
Second, rhyming shouldn't sound forced, if you have a word that is difficult to rhyme, you should place it at the end of a rhyming couplet.
Put the hard word on the end, or no?
Comment by OmnipotentEntity on 10 Ineo 1:1 - 0.6.25
Generally, or pick a different word.
Comment by swimmer on 10 Ineo 7:0 - 12.94.95
Alternate title: how not to sound like an Irish Vogon
Comment by DIAV on 10 Cresco 1:2 - 12.2.59
A disgruntled taskforce from Vogon
Thought the Earth was best forgone
They wanted it moved
or better yet - removed
basically just gone.
Thought the Earth was best forgone
They wanted it moved
or better yet - removed
basically just gone.
Comment by OmnipotentEntity on 10 Cresco 1:2 - 17.71.55
A disgrunted taskforce from Vogon
Thought Earth was best removed and forgone
With great poetry
Exploding debris
A new bypass, Earth was forgotten.
Thought Earth was best removed and forgone
With great poetry
Exploding debris
A new bypass, Earth was forgotten.
Comment by DIAV on 10 Cresco 3:4 - 12.21.4
Thanks for "fixing" the deliberately bad scansion in the final line. I do like the central couplet, but I would suggest "awful" poetry was more apt.
A disgruntled taskforce from Vogon
Thought the Earth was best forgone
With awful poetry
And exploding debris
Earth was gone.
A disgruntled taskforce from Vogon
Thought the Earth was best forgone
With awful poetry
And exploding debris
Earth was gone.
Comment by OmnipotentEntity on 10 Cresco 3:5 - 6.41.37
I thought the reason why it was funny that the poetry was considered terrible is that Earth was the only planet that had worse poetry. :)
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