A clerihew is a humorous 4-line poem about a celebrity, named in the first line. Often the celebrity's name comprises the entire first line. Invented by poet Edmund Clerihew Bentley, a Clerihew pokes fun at someone famous or puts them in an absurd light, though is not abusive. It is common for a Clerihew to parody short eulogies.
There is no set meter. In fact, the Clerihew usually contains irregular line lengths. The rhyming scheme of "a-a-b-b" can be comically contrived.
In a rhyming pattern, lines ending in a sound designated by "a" only rhyme with other "a" lines, "b" lines only with other "b" lines, and so on.
The title of a Clerihew is always the name of its subject.
Examples:
Charlie Sheen
The great Charlie Sheen
is a fan of caffeine,
especially when his head is tender-
recovering from his latest bender.
Tom Hanks
Tom Hanks
must own some banks.
He's almost Donald Trump
in the guise of Forrest Gump.
There is no set meter. In fact, the Clerihew usually contains irregular line lengths. The rhyming scheme of "a-a-b-b" can be comically contrived.
In a rhyming pattern, lines ending in a sound designated by "a" only rhyme with other "a" lines, "b" lines only with other "b" lines, and so on.
The title of a Clerihew is always the name of its subject.
Examples:
Charlie Sheen
The great Charlie Sheen
is a fan of caffeine,
especially when his head is tender-
recovering from his latest bender.
Tom Hanks
Tom Hanks
must own some banks.
He's almost Donald Trump
in the guise of Forrest Gump.
