What is this poem an example of?
A clerihew is a whimsical, four-line biographical poem invented by Edmund Clerihew Bentley. The first line is the name of the poem's subject, usually a famous person put in an absurd light. The rhyme scheme is AABB, and the rhymes are often forced. The line length and metre are irregular. Bentley invented the clerihew in school and then popularized it in books.
More Info:
en.wikipedia.org
What are your thoughts on this subject?
23 Comments
Doris Dallaire
Never heard of it but I learned something,
Denise Currie
Never heard of this I though Limerick although these usually have 5 lines, so I went Majority Vote and that also said Limerick, so missed out on this one
Good question though, thanks
Ike Hinlo Caceres
Learned something new today.
Jacqueline Tattam
Great question and I learned something new today! Thank you 🙏
lornanott
Very interesting
Thanks for a new snippet of information
theotishaynes
Like the majority got this one wrong. I love good, intelligent challenging questions. Thanks for this one.
Jas Newman
Why would it not also be doggerel — "comic verse composed in irregular rhythm"?
Peter Abrams
I should have got this!! I did know i!!
earlepg
Doris Dallaire, I never of a clerihew. I knew that I was throwing a guess to the wind with limerick, but I went ahead. I should have looked to see who the author was. He never does "regular", so I would have guessed something else. Maybe I would have picked the right one.
Chris Brown
I write poetry myself but am not familiar with this form.
Jerry Edwards
Lawanta ,
Why.
Does that make any difference?
teacherchicky
As an English teacher I knew this one! Besides that the majority help was absolutely incorrect, a Limerick has 5 lines, not 4!
Lawanta
Didn't look to see who the author was first 🙄
Fred Mayes
About the only kind of poetry that makes sense.
Barb Schmidt
took 2 away, as did no more what a limerick is, apparently, been told by some, including teachers, have written some, despite spelling and in general, editing skills are horrid, and yes, this to was said by same teachers, today, typing out, spell check, but as i do most pen to paper with my right hand, left the words do not flow ... ok over share, as came here, why ? well did, well so those who like to downvote can have their downvote heyday
Chris Braid
Learned something there even though I got it wrong!
Suzanne Wilson
Suzanne Wilson, Edit ... entered before proof-reading - please omit 'that' :)
Suzanne Wilson
Happy to report I'd never heard of this even though I consider that myself reasonably well-read. I'm always keen to learn.
Joy Holbrook
Having grown up in the era of the ‘cast of thousands’ blockbusters, I just love the actual content of the rhyme. Hollywood really did take some liberties with history, especially English history.