The Melodious Meritorious Mouse

The Melodious Meritorious Mouse,
who played a merry minuet on the
Piano-forte.

Edward Lear

Edward Lear was an English artist, musician, author, and poet famous for his literary nonsense and limericks. Born on May 12, 1812, in Holloway, England, Lear created a genre of literary nonsense that influenced many later English writers. He is best known for his work 'A Book of Nonsense' and 'The Owl and the Pussycat.' His whimsical style and imaginative use of language captivated both children and adults alike. Lear passed away on January 29, 1888.

Edward Lear

Book Of Nonsense Limerick 41.

Edward Lear, Simple Poetry

More Nonsense Limerick 40

Edward Lear, Simple Poetry

More Nonsense Limerick 54

Edward Lear, Simple Poetry

More Nonsense Limerick 72

Edward Lear, Simple Poetry

English

Suggested Poems

Explore a curated selection of verses that share themes, styles, and emotional resonance with the poem you've just read.

The Enthusiastic Elephant,

The Enthusiastic Elephant,
who ferried himself across the water with the
Kitchen Poker and a New pair of Ear-rings.

Edward Lear

The Dolomphious Duck,

The Dolomphious Duck,
who caught Spotted Frogs for her dinner
with a Runcible Spoon.

Edward Lear

The Worrying Whizzing Wasp

The Worrying Whizzing Wasp,
who stood on a Table, and played sweetly on a
Flute with a Morning Cap.

Edward Lear

The Owl And The Pussy-Cat.



    I.

The Owl and the Pussy-Cat went to sea
In a beautiful pea-green boat:
They took some honey, and plenty of money
Wrapped up in a five-pound note.
The Owl looked up to the stars above,
And sang to a small guitar,
"O lovely Pussy, O Pussy, my love,
What a beautiful Pussy you are,
You are,
You are!
What a beautiful Pussy you are!"


    II.

Pussy said to the Owl, "You elegant fowl,
How charmingly sweet you sing!
Oh! let us be married; too long we have tarried:
But what shall we do for a ring?"
They sailed away, for a year and a day,
To the land where the bong-tree grows;
And there in a wood a Piggy-wig stood,
With a ring at the end of his nose,
His nose,
H...

Edward Lear

Calico Pie.



    I.

Calico pie,
The little birds fly
Down to the calico-tree:
Their wings were blue,
And they sang "Tilly-loo!"
Till away they flew;
And they never came back to me!
They never came back,
They never came back,
They never came back to me!


    II.

Calico jam,
The little Fish swam
Over the Syllabub Sea.
He took off his hat
To the Sole and the Sprat,
And the Willeby-wat:
But he never came back to me;
He never came back,
He never came back,
He never came back to me.




    III.

Calico ban,
The little Mice ran
To be ready in time for tea;
Flippity flup,
They drank it al...

Edward Lear

How Pleasant To Know Mr. Lear!

"How pleasant to know Mr. Lear!"
Who has written such volumes of stuff!
Some think him ill-tempered and queer,
But a few think him pleasant enough.

His mind is concrete and fastidious,
His nose is remarkably big;
His visage is more or less hideous,
His beard it resembles a wig.

He has ears, and two eyes, and ten fingers,
Leastways if you reckon two thumbs;
Long ago he was one of the singers,
But now he is one of the dumbs.

He sits in a beautiful parlor,
With hundreds of books on the wall;
He drinks a great deal of Marsala,
But never gets tipsy at all.

He has many friends, lay men and clerical,
Old Foss is the name of his cat;
His body is perfectly spherical,
He weareth a runcible hat.

When he walks in waterproo...

Edward Lear