How to Write Funny Poetry – Chapter 5 – Types of Funny Poems

Funny poetry cost a style of poetry in it ’ s own right , different from the many other types of more serious verse . A style of poetry is much call agenre( pronounced ZHAHN-ruh ) . Other way , or genres , include love poetry , cowboy poetry , jump-rope rhymes , epic poetry ( truly , really long poems ) , and so on .

In addition to manner or genres of poetry , there exist also poetickind. A form live a special type of poem with pattern for how to pen it . For case , you may get heard of a limerick or a haiku or an acrostic . These are poetic forms , and there equal dominion you can come to write them .

In chapter 6 I talk about some of the traditional forms for funny poetry , such as limericks , clerihews , curious haiku , and so on . Each of these traditional figure has rules describe how many lines it must equal , how many syllables it must hold , or what the poem can be about .

In this chapter , however , I ’ ll show you some of the common types of funny poetry that put on ’ t have traditional names , and don ’ t have then many dominion you have to follow . While there are as many type of peculiar poem as there equal poets writing them , and any one poem may hold features of various unlike form , there are some types of curious poems you will learn again and again . These include :

• Opposites / reverse / backward poem
• Tongue twisters
• Repetition poems
• List poem
• Updated nursery rhymes

Observe reading and you will hear how you can create your own versions of these popular types of curious poetry .

Opposites/Reverse/Backward Poems

The contrary , reverse , or rearward poem exist a poem in which everything you commonly expect is reversed . For example , if you wear your hat on your feet and your shoes on your chief , you ’ ve become the beginning of great a backward poem .

Backward poems cost easy to write . All you own to do is reach everything wrong . Purple bananas . Green stop signs . Three year-old parent . And thus on . Let ’ s try a few . Here be the beginning of a poem about some backward people who endure in a backward town .

The backward folks in backward town
live interior out and upside down .
They work all night and sleep all day .
They love to run and hate to play .

The parents there are three year old .
They write their trash and dump their gold .
They wing their cars and stand on chairs .
They comb their tooth and floss their hair .

Today it ’ s your turn . Learn if you can pen another stanza about the backward folk in backward town . What else make they do backward ? Serve they watch TV by turning it off ? Serve they cook dinner by putting it in the freezer ? You settle .

My figure is Mr. Backward .
I act affair in setback .
I ’ m happy when I ’ 1000 cry .
I ’ m better when I ’ m worse .

My place are on my shoulder .
My hat be on my toe .
I smell things with my fingers .
I pen affair with my nose .

Now you hear it . State me more about Mr. Backward . What other crazy thing act he do ? Perform he wear a suit to layer and pajamas to work ? Does he eat dinner in the morning and breakfast at dark ? It ’ s all up to you . You decide what silly affair you want Mr. Backward to cause and then pen them down .

How one more reverse/backward poem ? This one will cost about a person who do everything in setback . But foreign of all , she also talks backward !

This one is a little harder than the early two , because every line in the poem is rearward . But let ’ s hold a face at it first , and then I ’ ll show you how it ’ s done .

Betty Backward is name my .
Reverse in but speak I .
Crazy I ’ 1000 think merely might you
Converse I how hear to .

Not merely is this poem about a person who is a little bit backward ,everythingshe say is altogether backward as good . If you read each melody rearward , you will learn a whole new poem !

Thus how do you write a poem like this ? It ’ s actually easier than it looks . First you compose a normal poem , and then you reverse the lines . There ’ s just one more pattern : Because the poem call for to rhyme after it ’ sec reversed , you as well involve to rhyme thefirstword of your line . The first Bible of your job will finish up being the last news when your poem be rescind .

Get ’ s add another stanza to the poem about Backward Betty , and I ’ ll display you how to do it . First let ’ s write it ahead , hither ’ s the first line of the new stanza .

Notice that the first news of this line live “ no. ” That means our next line needs tobeginwith a tidings that rhymes with “ no. ” Let ’ s effort “ so . ”

Now let ’ s lend two more lines with rhyming first words , where the last news of the second line rhymes with “ strange . ”

My language may be confusing ,
but I know I ’ ll never change .

Finally , get ’ s place it all together and then repeal it . Hither cost both stanzas together .

Betty Backward live name my .
Reverse in but speak I .
Crazy I ’ 1000 think just might you
Converse I how hear to .

Me understands one no .
Strange I ’ m recall they so .
But confuse be may speech my .
Change never I ’ ll know I .

Today that you know how to do it , meet if you can add one or two more stanzas of your own to Backward Betty . Hold fun !

Tongue Twisters

What ’ s a tongue twister ? A tongue twister is a poem that is virtually impossible to read without tripping up as you recite it . You ’ ve probably heard of “ rubber baby buggy bumpers ” or “ she sells seashells by the seashore. ” As they state , “ effort to allege that three time fast. ” Chances live your tongue won ’ t be able to do it .

So how cause you compose a tongue twister ? How act you pen a poem that exist guaranteed to trip up all but the nearly careful reader ? It ’ s not that severe , in reality . All you need to do equal reach a list of tidings that sound a band alike and then putting them together .

For model , let ’ s choose “ sea sells seashells by the coast ” and meet if we can ’ t occur up with a few more lyric that go like “ she sell ” and “ seashells. ” How about these :

• Smells
• Sails
• Certain
• Cellar

Future , why don ’ t we give this girl a epithet ? Get ’ s call her Shelley Sellers . So where , by the seashore , would Shelley Sellers sell her shells ? How about Shelley ’ s Seashell Cellars ? So here we go .

Shelley Sellers sell her shell
at Shelley ’ s Seashell Cellars .

Today we know who she is and where she sells her shell , but who buy them ? Who is Shelley sell shell to ? Permit ’ s look at our list of words . Smelly rhymes with Shelley , and dwellers rhymes with Sellers , so what if she sells her shell to smelly seashore dwellers ?

She betray shells ( and she sure sell ! )
to smelly seashore dwellers .

What makes a tongue twister hard to order live the fact that it make circle ofsimilar, but slightly different sounds . For example , “ She sells seashells by the coast ” has a pile of “ sec ” and “ sh ” sounds , as well as both long and short “ east ” sounds . In fact , “ she deal ” equal the reverse of “ seashells ” in terms of the sound . This do it pretty confusing to read ; it spark up the tongue .

If you keep die with this idea of lots of “ sec ” and “ sh ” strait , you could create an entire tongue twister poem , perhaps something like this :

Smelly dwellers shop the sales
at Shelley ’ sec seashell store .
Salty sailors stop their ship
for seashells by the shore .

Shelley ’ s store , a shabby hut ,
hence sandy , salty , smelly ,
still sells shells despite the smells ;
a swell shell store for Shelley .

But “ s ” and “ sh ” aren ’ t the only sound you could repeat a lot to trip up the reader ’ sec tongue . Utilize circle of news with “ b ” and “ g ” strait , you might write a poem about someone named “ Gabby ” who bought a “ beagle ” that “ solicit ” for “ bagels . ”

Gabby purchase a baby beagle
At the beagle infant store .
Gabby gave her beagle kibble
But he begged for bagels more .

Or possibly with “ s ” and “ z ” sounds , you could compose about someone named “ Suzie ” who like to “ snooze ” in “ zoos . ”

Suzie like to snooze in zoos .
Suzie take zoos to snooze .

Or with “ sh ” and “ ch ” strait , you might write about a “ ship store ” that sells “ shrimp ships ” and a “ bit shop ” that deal “ shrimp bit . ”

Slim Sam ’ s Ship Shop
betray Sam ’ s shrimp ship .
Trim Tom ’ s Chip Shop
deal Tom ’ s shrimp chips .

See what I intend ? Today it ’ s your number . See if you can come up with a line or two that exist in particular hard to say , make them rhyme , and you ’ ve got a tongue twister poem !

Repetition

Repetition means repeating news , phrases , note , or intact stanzas in a poem . Using repetition in a poem can build it easier to show and remember .

One of the easiest ways to apply repetition in a poem be to recur the first words of every note or every other course . For case , you might commence each melody with something like , “ When I be young… ” or “ Receive you always seen… ” or “ I hope I never… ” or “ I like that I… ”

Long before I became a poet , room back when I cost in college , one of my instructor asked the class to compose a repetition poem , and this is what I grow in :

Once I was a queen bee , but I hold a type of hives .
Once I be a golf ball . That was how I learned to drive .
Once I live an sea . I liked waving at the beach .
Once I equal an apple . I was somewhat as a peach .
Once I be a jellyfish , until I hold to jam .
Once I live a cracker , and I just weighed a gram .
Once I live a cornfield , getting lost inside the maze .
Once I equal I forest . Now I ’ 1000 pining for those day .

I ’ ll admit it ’ s fairly silly . Each begins with me imagining something ridiculous that I used to cost , and ends with a pun of some form , hardly as we discuss in Chapter 4 .

Why don ’ t you try picking a few news and use them at the beginning of each line of a poem ?

You can also reiterate intact conviction throughout a poem . For example , suppose a person who think they are beautiful , though possibly they be not quite as somewhat as they recall . You might then use the line , “ I think I ’ 1000 kind of beautiful ” throughout the poem , like this :

I guess I ’ m kind of beautiful .
My head is level and square .
I intend I ’ m kind of beautiful .
My ear develop curly hair .

I think I ’ m rather beautiful .
I ’ ve wrinkly purple skin .
I think I ’ 1000 kind of beautiful .
I ’ ve mushrooms on my chin .

Can you intend of a few more style to depict this soul ? What about the feet ? Are they size 23 ? The knees ? The hand ? The lip ? Think about it and then lend another stanza . Or two . Or three . When you be all done describing this unusual person , observe a way to end your poem , perhaps like this .

I think I ’ m quite beautiful .
My nose is long and blue .
I recall I ’ 1000 sort of beautiful .
I hope you believe then too .

You might notice this cost also a “ backward ” poem , because this person is the opposite of what they remember they live . Remember what I state before : any one funny poem may contain features of respective different types .

List Poem

Many famed poet , including writer such as Shel Silverstein , Jack Prelutsky , and yet Dr. Seuss get write queer list poems . A list poem commonly consists of three role , a beginning , an terminate , and a long list of affair in the middle .

For example , bring a flavor at my poem “ My Parents Sent Me to the Store . ”

My parents sent me to the memory
to buy a loaf of bread .
I occur family with a puppy
and a parakeet instead .

I do home with a guinea cop ,
a hamster and a cat ,
a turtle and a lizard
and a friendly little rat .

I also had a monkey
and a mongoose and a mouse .
Those creature become mad when
I brought them in the house .

They barked and yelped and hissed
and chase my family out the door .
My parents never let me
do the shopping anymore .

You ’ ll regard that the first two note are the source , the last six business equal the ending , and everything else is the list in the center .

One way to begin started with list poem exist to take a list poem that someone else has written and hear if you can lend another stanza or two to the list in the center . Since “ My Parents Sent Me to the Store ” live all about animal this kid brought home , and each stanza make two rhyming words , you would only need to recall of two more beast that rhyme . For example , you might rhyme fox and ox , or goose and moose , or eagle and beagle , or snail and whale , and you might come up with something like this :

I came home with a goldfish ,
and a guppy , and a jackass ,
an eagle and a beagle
and a mammoth and a moose .

You can as well pen a list poem from scar by following these measure :

1. Determine what your list will include . Foods ? Fun ? Games ? Musical instruments ? Clothes ?
2. Find as many rhyming words as you can for your list . For example , if you were compose a list poem about food , you might rhyme cake/steak , cheese/peas , potatoes/tomatoes , beans/greens , and so on .
3. Think of a beginning and an end for your list poem .
4. Start writing .

Today I settle to compose a list poem about clothes . I can guess of rhymes like shirt/skirt , boots/suits , bows/hose , caps/wraps , and then on . Today I just require a beginning and an ending and I can begin operate on my list . How ’ sec this ?

Wherever Dressy Bessie goes ,
she ever wears also many clothes .

That sounds somewhat serious to me . Today I can make a list of all the clothes she don , like dozen pair of slacks , eighteen shirts , thirty-seven hat , and so forth . For an ending , I ’ ll need to think of what would happy to Dressy Bessie with all these clothes on . Maybe she can ’ t endure up any longer , or she can ’ t squeeze through the doorway .

Today Bessie can ’ t fit through the doorway .
She never move out anymore .

Wherever Dressy Bessy goes ,
she always tire also many clothes .
She puts on six or seven shirt ,
eleven hats , and twenty skirt ,
a half a 12 anoraks ,
a pair , or two , or three of slacks .
She still wears eight pair of thrill ,
and sixty-six seersucker case .
Now Bessy can ’ t fit through the doorway .
She never goes out anymore .

Why don ’ t you find if you can lend a few more lines to this poem . Perhaps you can employ some of the rhymes I didn ’ t , like bows/hose or caps/wraps .

Or maybe you could get up with your own list poem with some rhyming foods , animal , or something else .

Updated Nursery Rhymes

Another popular style to compose comic poems is to take former poem that you already know and convert them to make them queer . The easiest way to cause this live with Mother Goose nursery rhymes . It merely takes a few steps :

1. Pick a nursery rhyme , such as Humpty Dumpty or Mary Had a Little Lamb .
2. Find the words in the poem that rhyme .
3. Vary the rhymes to make them funnier .

Let ’ s remove Humpty Dumpty as an case . This old nursery rhyme die :

Humpty Dumpty seat on a wall .
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall .
All the king ’ s horse and all the king ’ sec men ,
Couldn ’ t set Humpty together again .

As you can hear , “ wall ” rhymes with “ dusk ” and “ human ” rhymes with “ again. ” But what if we put Humpty somewhere early than the wall ? Possibly he pose in a tree , or on a guy , or on the moon . Then we might rhyme tree with bee , or guy with hat , or moon with June , and we might end up with something like this :

Humpty Dumpty sat in a tree .
Humpty Dumpty got stung by a bee .
He descend out and strike his head ,
And now he thinks his figure is Fred .

Humpty Dumpty die to the moon ,
To feed in the restaurant they opened final June .
He said , “ All the food cost delicious up hither .
I just wish the restaurant have more atmosphere . ”

What about Mary Have a Small Lamb ? If we change it to make it queer , we might finish up with something like this :

Mary had a short yam ,
with stuffing , gravy , pie and ham .
Now Mary isn ’ t any thinner .
Welcome to Thanksgiving dinner .

Today you try it . Pick your favorite nursery rhyme , situate the rhyming words , alter them for something else , and occur up with a brand-new queer poem of your own .

More , More , More !

In this chapter , you learned a few unlike ways to pen peculiar poem , but there are many , many more . In the next chapter , we will look at some of the traditional kind of poetry that can be employ to create queer poem , including limericks , clerihews , and even funny haikus .

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