Edward Lear popularized the limerick in the late 1800s. He didn't call them limericks at the time - he simply called them nonsense poetry.

Here are some of his classics.

There was a Young Lady whose chin
Resembled the point of a pin:
So she had it made sharp,
And purchased a harp,
And played several tunes with her chin.

There was a Young Lady whose nose
was so long that it reached her toes;
So she hired an old lady,
whose conduct was steady,
To carry that wonderful nose.

There was an Old Man with a beard,
who said, "It is just as I feared! -
Two Owls and a Hen, four Larks and a Wren,
Have all built their nests in my beard!"

Lisa's Poetry Information and Tips
Lisa's Homepage