Today, we celebrate a form of poetry (remember our posts about Shel Silverstein and National Poetry Month back in April) called the limerick. A limerick is a sometimes nonsensical, mostly silly poem that follows a rhythmical three long and two short verse lines (an "aabba" pattern).
Created by Edward Lear, a limerick is fun to write and read:
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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!”
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And wrote longer poems you know well, like the Owl and the Pussycat (1870):
Like his contemporary Lewis Carroll, who wrote Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Lear was inventive making up his own words (called neologies) and creating a fantastical world of his own.
Here's a limerick I wrote about otters:
There once was an Otter named Otto
Who swam gleefully into a grotto
Met Ariel and Flounder
Ate seafood, got rounder,
Exclaimed, "Living here is like winning the lotto!"
Read more kid-friendly limericks and learn how to write a limerick, here: http://www.gigglepoetry.com/poetryclass/limerickcontesthelp.html
Don't forget to comment below about your favorite poet or poem and win these two beautiful books!
Disclosure: I was provided two poetry books for giveaways today from our friends at Barefoot Books, but silliness is my own. For more great reading and poetry adventures visit BarefootBooks.com or visit their stores in Concord, MA, Oxford UK, or even inside the FAO Schwartz store in NYC.
3 comments:
Well, for a "kids'" poet Shel Silverstein wins, hands down.
My favorite poet at the moment is my own tween, Ms. Elaina Hammond,her latest work being
Peach Orange
Peach orange is the setting sun,
The smell of fire,
Smoke and S'mores,
the look of parrots,
as they swoosh by,
And the merry glow,
that fills the town,
the taste of fuzzy, juicy, sweet,
It's like a volcano,
With steaming lava,
And the light,
the jumpy playful feel,
that you feel!
Love that poem!
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