Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Journal 12: Limerick

Limerick-a short, humorous, five-line poem which follows a strict rhyme scheme (AABBA) and has 6-10 syllables in lines 1, 2 and 5 and 4-8 syllables in lines 3 and 4.

Limericks are meant to be funny. They often contain hyperbole, onomatopoeia, idioms, puns, and other figurative devices. The last line of a good limerick contains the PUNCH LINE or "heart of the joke."


A flea and a fly in a flue

Were caught, so what could they do?

Said the fly, "Let us flee."

"Let us fly," said the flea.

So they flew through a flaw in the flue.

-Anonymous

You will soon hear the distinctive beat pattern of all limericks. The rhythm is just as important in a limerick as the rhyme. Try completing this limerick.

There once was a pauper named Meg

Who accidentally broke her _______.

She slipped on the ______.

Not once, but thrice

Take no pity on her, I __________.

Compose a limerick about FRIENDSHIP for Friday.  Beneath the limerick write three responses: three sentences about why you wrote the poem, three sentences about the poetic devices BE SPECIFIC (include at least 4 in your poem, one must be connotation, DO NOT INCLUDE RHYME, REPETITION, CAESURA or ENJAMBMENT), and three sentences about limerick form (or the form you chose to use/adapt if you did not follow the conventional structure).  Make sure to include three vocabulary words from Unit 12 either in your poem and/or in your responses.

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