This is an analysis of Limerick: There Was An Old Man Whose Despair by Edward Lear.

There was an old man whose despair
Induced him to purchase a hare:…

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Structure

  • Rhyme scheme: aabba
  • Stanza lengths: 5,
  • Metre: 11111101 01101001 10111 111001 11001001
  • Closest metre: iambic trimeter
  • Guessed form: limerick
  • Stanzas: 1
  • Lines: 5