That Young Lady from Spain

8 December 2025 – Oh, the limerick!

*Five lines;

* AABBA rhyme scheme;

* a fondness for the galloping anapest meter;

* and (says a man who knows) “a propensity for the perverse.”

I am not thinking of the perverse. I am, however, thinking of a limerick that meets all the 5 lines-AABBA-anapest-meter requirements. I am thinking of the one that begins: “There was a young lady from Spain.”

Only when I look around online do I discover that this Young Lady goes on to have many different limerick adventures.

My particular Young Lady has her adventures on the train. To wit:

“There was a young lady from Spain / Who used to get sick on the train.”

I herewith offer you a timely Vancouver re-write of those first two (AA) lines. After that, it’s the same BBA outcome that the Young Lady knows well.

(Ahem. Throat-clearing.)

“I really do hate to complain,

“But this season we only have rain —

“Not once or twice,

“Which is decent and nice,

“But again and again and again.”

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5 Comments

  1. Lynette d'Arty-Cross's avatar

    There was a young lady from Vancouver
    Who did an incredible maneuver …

    I tried to complete it but got brainlock. 😁

    But here’s one created by AI:
    A city quite famously green,
    Where rain is a regular scene.
    With mountains so grand,
    And sea close at hand,
    It’s a lovely, lush, wet, coastal queen.

    Cheers.

    Reply
    • icelandpenny's avatar

      Love it! well I love your beginning more than AI’s effort, since the latter while impeccably 5 lines & AABBA & even (gasp) anapest meter, it somehow isn’t quite silly enough. Whereas your beginning is splendidly silly, and impressive in its rhyme. (I’d’ve not thought of that) So, emboldened, I complete your beginning: There was a young lady from Vancouver / Who did an incredible manoeuver; Her toes went tap/ And her brain went snap / and she swept it all up with a Hoover.

      Reply
  2. Bronlima's avatar

    Vancouver, Uber, hoover,
    Al Limericka I’m such a looser.
    Won’t carry on
    For it’s all going wrong,
    And all I’ll do is confuse her.

    Reply
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