There once was a wee humble ditty
By Shannon Roe
Today being St. Patrick’s Day, the least we can do is doff our derbies to that bit of Irish doggerel called the limerick.
From its name, you might think this five-line verse form originated in the town of Limerick, Ireland. But not necessarily. No one knows for sure where it came from – or exactly when, for that matter. But given the wee verse’s naughty reputation, it seems only fitting that its ancestry be mysterious.
Christian Science Monitor | 17 March 2004