Home » Famous Poems » Limerick

Famous Limerick Poems by Famous Poets

These are examples of famous Limerick poems written by some of the greatest and most-well-known modern and classical poets. PoetrySoup is a great educational poetry resource of famous limerick poems. These examples illustrate what a famous limerick poem looks like and its form, scheme, or style (where appropriate).

See also:

There was an Old Man in a boat

There was an Old Man in a boat,Who said, "I'm afloat! I'm afloat!"When they said, "No, you ain't!" he was ready to faint,That unhappy Old Man in a boat. ...Read more of this...

There was an old person of Newry

There was an old person of Newry,Whose manners were tinctured with fury;He tore all the rugs, and broke all the jugs,Within twenty miles' distance of Newry. ...Read more of this...

There was an old man of Thermopyl?

 There was an old man of Thermopyl?, 
Who never did anything properly; 
But they said, "If you choose, To boil eggs in your shoes, 
You shall never remain in Thermopyl?."...Read more of this...

There was an old person in gray

There was an old person in gray,Whose feelings were tinged with dismay;She purchased two parrots, and fed them with carrots,Which pleased that old person in gray. ...Read more of this...

There was an Old Man of Marseilles

There was an Old Man of Marseilles,Whose daughters wore bottle-green veils:They caught several Fish, which they put in a dish,And sent to their Pa at Marseilles. ...Read more of this...

There was an old person of Filey

There was an old person of Filey,Of whom his acquaintance spoke highly;He danced perfectly well, to the sound of a bell,And delighted the people of Filey. ...Read more of this...

There was an Old Person of Bangor

There was an Old Person of Bangor,Whose face was distorted with anger;He tore off his boots, and subsisted on roots,That borascible Person of Bangor. ...Read more of this...

There was an Old Man of Vienna

There was an Old Man of Vienna,Who lived upon Tincture of Senna;When that did not agree, he took Camomile Tea,That nasty Old Man of Vienna. ...Read more of this...

There was a young lady of Firle

There was a young lady of Firle,Whose hair was addicted to curl;It curled up a tree, and all over the sea,That expansive young lady of Firle. ...Read more of this...

There was a Young Lady whose bonnet

There was a Young Lady whose bonnetCame untied when the birds sate upon it;But she said, "I don't care! all the birds in the airAre welcome to sit on my bonnet!" ...Read more of this...

There was an old person of Sark

There was an old person of Sark,Who made an unpleasant remark;But they said, "Don't you see what a brute you must be,You obnoxious old person of Sark!" ...Read more of this...

There was a Young Lady of Welling

There was a Young Lady of Welling,Whose praise all the world was a-telling;She played on the harp, and caught several Carp,That accomplished Young Lady of Welling. ...Read more of this...

There was an old person of Sheen

There was an old person of Sheen,Whose expression was calm and serene;He sate in the water, and drank bottled porter,That placid old person of Sheen. ...Read more of this...

H was a hat

H  was a hatWhich was all on one side;Its crown was too high,And its brim was too wide. h Oh, what a hat!...Read more of this...

There was an Old Man with a flute—

There was an Old Man with a flute,—A "sarpint" ran into his boot!But he played day and night, till the "sarpint" took flight,And avoided that Man with a flute. ...Read more of this...

There was an old person of Barnes

There was an old person of Barnes,Whose garments were covered with darns;But they said, "Without doubt, you will soon wear them out,You luminous person of Barnes!" ...Read more of this...

There was an Old Person of Tartary

There was an Old Person of Tartary,Who divided his jugular artery;But he screeched to his Wife, and she said, "Oh, my life!Your death will be felt by all Tartary!" ...Read more of this...

The Dorchester Giant

by Oliver Wendell Holmes

 THERE was a giant in time of old,
A mighty one was he; 
He had a wife, but she was a scold, 
So he kept her shut in his mammoth fold;
And he had children three.

It happened to be an election day,
And the giants were choosing a king; 
The people were not democrats then, 
They did not talk of the rights...Read more of this...

There was an Old Man who supposed

There was an Old Man who supposedThat the street door was partially closed;But some very large Rats ate his coats and his hats,While that futile Old Gentleman dozed. ...Read more of this...

There was an Old Man of Nepaul

There was an Old Man of Nepaul,From his horse had a terrible fall;But, though split quite in two, with some very strong glueThey mended that man of Nepaul. ...Read more of this...

There was an Old Person of Sparta

There was an Old Person of Sparta,Who had twenty-five sons and one "darter;"He fed them on Snails, and weighed them in scales,That wonderful Person of Sparta. ...Read more of this...

There was an old person of Bar

There was an old person of Bar,Who passed all her life in a jar,Which she painted pea-green, to appear more serene,That placid old person of Bar. ...Read more of this...

There was an old person of Deal

There was an old person of Deal,Who in walking used only his heel;When they said, "Tell us why?" he made no reply,That mysterious old person of Deal. ...Read more of this...

There was a Young Lady Whose Eyes

 There was a young lady whose eyes,
were unique as to colour and size;
When she opened them wide,
people all turned aside,
and started away in surprise....Read more of this...

There was an old man in a tree

There was an old man in a tree,Whose whiskers were lovely to see;But the birds of the air pluck'd them perfectly bare,To make themselves nests in that tree. ...Read more of this...

Dont forget to view our wonderful member Limerick poems.

Get a Premium Membership

Turn off ads, get more exposure for your poetry, and get more features with a Premium Membership.

Book: Diverse Voices: The Poetry of Human Rights and the Pursuit of Peace