In honour of Mothers’ Day, I thought I’d try a limerick.
Why? Because they’re fun: to write and to read. Plus, we love to send cards for Mothers’ Day, and what could be better on the front than a limerick to make your Mum smile? In fact, it would not be unrealistic to think that mothers’ day has its origins in a greeting card company’s board room even though it can actually be traced all the way back to Greek and Roman times. In Greek mythology Rhea, daughter of the earth Goddess Gaia, and the sky God Uranus, was considered the Mother of Gods and people celebrated her in Spring, with flowers. The Romans celebrated their Mother of Gods, Cybele, with a festival on the first day of the year when daylight was longer than darkness.
We love to celebrate with cards. So - back to the limerick. What is a limerick actually?
It is a short, rhyming, funny poem that bounces along. For writing one there are a few basic rules:
They are five lines long.
Lines 1, 2, and 5 rhyme with one another and have 8-10 beats
Lines 3 and 4 rhyme with each other and have 5-7 beats.
They have a musical, bouncy rhythm
They are usually funny - if not all the way through, then definitely the last line.
Here’s my Mothers’ Day Limerick:
I know a smart woman: my Mum,
who going out with is always great fun.
Any problem I share
she’ll always be there.
I’m so happy I grew in her tum.
Your turn - leave one in the Comments, I’d love to read it.
