How many lines does a limerick have?

The standard form of a limerick is a stanza of five lines, with the first, second and fifth rhyming with one another. These lines have three feet of three syllables each; the shorter third and fourth lines also rhyming with each other, but have only two feet of three syllables.

The following example is a limerick poem by famous poet Edward Lear:

'There was an old man with a beard

Who said, 'It is just as I feared,

Two owls and a hen

A lark and a wren

Have all built their nests in my beard!'

The limerick form of verse first appeared in England in the early years of the 18th century. It was popularized by Edward Lear in the 19th century. Limericks are now considered a type of poetry that is often funny with a strong beat. They are light hearted poems and can sometimes be utter nonsense. They are mostly great to read; they can be fun to write according to most poets.