A limerick is a bawdy humorous verse of a song. It was popularized by Edward Lear and originated in the 19th century.
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It is a 5 line poem with the rhyme scheme AABBA. The 1st, 2nd, and 5th lines have three feet, the 3rd & 4th have 2 feet. It is typically written in a triplet meter - i.e. anapaestic or amphibrachic. The following example has the stressed syllables highlighted and the feet divided by "/", so you can see the meter (1, 2 & 5 are amphibrachic, 3 & 4 anapaestic):: There once was / a man from / Nan-tuck-et : Who kept all / his cash in / a buck-et. :: But his daugh / ter, named Nan, :: Ran a-way / with a man : And as for / the buck-et, / Nan-tuck-et. No. I limerick is not jest 4 lines. It can be as long as the poet wants it to be. Sincerely, A person who studies poems.