Edward Lear wrote 112 Nonsense poems or limericks. A good limerick is

a) very silly/funny

b) easy to remember.

Read the limericks on this page. Then you write one!

There was an Old Man of Moldavia, Who had the most curious behaviour; For while he was able, He slept on a table. That funny Old Man of Moldavia.

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!

There was a Young Lady whose chin,
Resembled the point of a pin;
So she had it made sharp,
And purchased a harp,
And played several tunes with her chin.

There was an Old Man with a nose,
Who said, 'If you choose to suppose,
That my nose is too long,
You are certainly wrong!'
That remarkable Man with a nose

Can you write a Nonsense poem?

• Start with the words, 'There was a …'
• Each poem is five lines
• The rhyme scheme is aabba (beard,feared hen, wren, beard)
• The last word is the same on the first and last lines.
• Nonsense poems are always very silly!
• Choose a 'title word' from the box below. This will be the last word of the first and last lines.

Write down all the words you know that rhyme with your title word: e.g. Blackpool - school, cool Now you are ready to write your limerick!

Edward Lear (1812-1888) is one of the most popular poets in English literature. His best known poem is The Owl and the Pussy Cat which is still read to young children today