A limerick is a form of verse that appeared in England in the early years of the 18th century). It is a humorous poem consisting of five lines, with a specific rhyme scheme and meter. The standard form of a limerick is a stanza of five lines, with the first, second, and fifth lines rhyming with one another and having three feet of three syllables each, while the shorter third and fourth lines also rhyme with each other, but have only two feet of three syllables). The third and fourth lines are usually anapaestic, or one iamb followed by one anapaest, while the first, second, and fifth are usually either anapaests or amphibrachs). Limericks are often funny or nonsensical and were made famous by Edward Lear, a famous author who wrote the "Book of Nonsense" in the 1800s. The subject of a limerick is typically a short, pithy tale or description.