But he never actually called his poems "limericks" — rather, he referred to them as "nonsense poems" or merely "light verse." Freestyle limerick battlesThe poem was the earliest known connection, by many years, of the word "limerick" with the five-line verse form. Duke University researcher Stephen Goranson discovered an unusual link between the origin of the term 'limerick' and a Saint John newspaper. 'We're not known for our poets in Saint John — but we are known for our Irish,' says Moore. "Its combination of working-class culture, sensitivity to language, and a capacity to use language the way the Irish do makes the limerick a natural fit in Saint John."

Source: CBC News March 17, 2018 10:52 UTC