Clerihew

A Clerihew (or clerihew) is a very specific kind of humorous verse, typically with the following properties:

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• The first line consists solely (or almost solely) of a well-known person's name
• The verse is humorous and usually whimsical, showing the subject from an unusual point of view; but it is hardly ever satirical, abusive or obscene
• It has four lines of irregular length
• The rhyme structure is AABB
• The metre and rhyme are often strained for humorous effect (like Ogden Nash's poems).

The form was invented by and is named after Edmund Clerihew Bentley.

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Clerihew: Examples ►