Famous Clerihew Poems by Famous Poets
These are examples of famous Clerihew poems written by some of the greatest and most-well-known modern and classical poets. PoetrySoup is a great educational poetry resource of famous clerihew poems. These examples illustrate what a famous clerihew poem looks like and its form, scheme, or style (where appropriate).
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by
Edward Lear
X was King Xerxes,Who, more than all Turks, isRenowned for his fashionOf fury and passion. x Angry old Xerxes!...Read more of this...
by
Spike Milligan
My sister Laura's bigger than me
And lifts me up quite easily.
I can't lift her, I've tried and tried;
She must have something heavy inside....Read more of this...
by
Edward Lear
W was a whaleWith a very long tail,Whose movements were franticAcross the Atlantic. w Monstrous old whale!...Read more of this...
by
Edward Lear
A was an ape,Who stole some white tape,And tied up his toesIn four beautiful bows. a! Funny old Ape!...Read more of this...
by
Dorothy Parker
Dante Gabriel Rossetti
Buried all of his libretti,
Thought the matter over - then
Went and dug them up again....Read more of this...
by
Dorothy Parker
Carlyle combined the lit'ry life
With throwing teacups at his wife,
Remarking, rather testily,
"Oh, stop your dodging, Mrs. C.!"...Read more of this...
by
Tony Harrison
How you became a poet's a mystery!
Wherever did you get your talent from?
I say: I had two uncles, Joe and Harry-
one was a stammerer, the other dumb....Read more of this...
by
Edward Lear
S was a screwTo screw down a box;And then it was fastenedWithout any locks. s! Valuable screw!...Read more of this...
by
Hilaire Belloc
The Chief Defect of Henry King
Was chewing little bits of String.
At last he swallowed some which tied
Itself in ugly Knots inside.
Physicians of the Utmost Fame
Were called at once; but when they came
They answered, as they took their Fees,
"There is no Cure for this Disease.
"Henry will very soon be dead.''
His Parents stood about his Bed
Lamenting his Untimely Death,
When Henry, with...Read more of this...
by
Dorothy Parker
Should Heaven send me any son,
I hope he's not like Tennyson.
I'd rather have him play a fiddle
Than rise and bow and speak an idyll....Read more of this...
by
Jack Prelutsky
"My stomach's full of butterflies!"
lamented Dora Diller.
Her mother sighed. "That's no surprise,
you ate a caterpillar!"...Read more of this...
by
Hilaire Belloc
Of three in One and One in three
My narrow mind would doubting be
Till Beauty, Grace and Kindness met
And all at once were Juliet....Read more of this...
by
Hilaire Belloc
Oh, weep for Mr. and Mrs. Bryan!
He was eaten by a lion;
Following which, the lion's lioness
Up and swallowed Bryan's Bryaness....Read more of this...
by
Alexander Pushkin
One half Milord, one half in trade,
One half a sage, one half a dunce,
One half a crook, but here for once
There's every hope he'll make the grade....Read more of this...
by
Edward Lear
X was King Xerxes, whomPapa much wished to know; But this he could not do, becauseXerxes died long ago. ...Read more of this...
by
Hilaire Belloc
How did the party go in Portman Square?
I cannot tell you; Juliet was not there.
And how did Lady Gaster's party go?
Juliet was next me and I do not know....Read more of this...
by
Ogden Nash
Beneath this slab
John Brown is stowed.
He watched the ads
And not the road....Read more of this...
by
Dorothy Parker
Upon the work of Walter Landor
I am unfit to write with candor.
If you can read it, well and good;
But as for me, I never could....Read more of this...
by
William Butler Yeats
Whence did all that fury come?
From empty tomb or Virgin womb?
Saint Joseph thought the world would melt
But liked the way his finger smelt....Read more of this...
by
Dorothy Parker
Who call him spurious and shoddy
Shall do it o'er my lifeless body.
I heartily invite such birds
To come outside and say those words!...Read more of this...
by
Edward Lear
M was a man,Who walked round and round;And he wore a long coatThat came down to the ground. m! Funny old Man!...Read more of this...
by
Edward Lear
Z was a Zebra stripedAnd streaked with lines of black; Papa said once, he thought he'd likeA ride upon his back. ...Read more of this...
by
Robert Burns
HERE cursing, swearing Burton lies,
A buck, a beau, or “Dem my eyes!”
Who in his life did little good,
And his last words were “Dem my blood!”...Read more of this...
by
Spike Milligan
Said Hamlet to Ophelia,
I'll draw a sketch of thee,
What kind of pencil shall I use?
2B or not 2B?...Read more of this...
by
Edward Lear
H was a heron,Who stood in a stream:The length of his neckAnd his legs was extreme. h! Long-legged Heron!...Read more of this...
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