The kind of joy humor brings to people is infectious, and poetry is one of the most pleasing modes of expression that would fill our hearts with laughter. Most humorous poems rely, at least in part, on wordplay, absurdity, or relatable experiences to get us to laugh. Here are 21 funny poems to cheer you up, which contain some light hearted themes and whimsical rhymes.
21 Funny Poems That Will Cheer You Up
1. “My Shadow” by Robert Louis Stevenson
A child observes their shadow and how it mimics them, pondering the shadow’s purpose and its strange habit of growing quickly or shrinking away to nothing.
2. “Phantasmagoria” by Lewis Carroll
A narrator encounters a ghost in their house, and they engage in playful banter about the rights of ghosts and humans, and how houses are classified by the number of ghosts they can accommodate.
3. “Monosyllabics” by Laura E. Richards
This poem plays with language by using only single-syllable words to describe a series of comical scenarios involving a cat, a cow, and an ape.
4. “The Bashful Earthquake” by Oliver Herford
An earthquake rumbles and tumbles everything, then feels remorseful for the destruction and flees, regretting not looking before it “tread.”
5. “The Cat Metamorphosed Into a Woman” by Jean de la Fontaine
A bachelor’s cat transforms into a woman, whom he marries. However, her true nature comes out when she chases mice during the night.
6. “The Purple Cow” by Gelett Burgess
A very short poem where the speaker states they have never seen, nor hope to see, a purple cow, but would rather see one than be one.
7. “Strong Beer” by Robert Graves
The poem is a celebration of strong beer, suggesting it’s the bravest drink and fitting for English poets, with a place for everything, including a beerhouse for the speaker.
8. “The Attraction of Levitation” by H.G. Paine
Little Johnny Frost laments the difficulty of pulling a sled uphill due to gravity and wishes Isaac Newton had reversed his law so that going uphill would be easy.
9. “The Camel’s Complaint” by Charles E. Carryl
A camel humorously complains about how it’s treated compared to other animals, noting that anything is considered good enough for its digestion and that it’s expected to carry any load.
10. “Mr. Nobody” (author unknown)
The poem describes a mischievous character named Mr. Nobody, who is blamed for all the little mishaps and misdeeds that occur in a house.
11. “Eletelephony” by Laura E. Richards
This poem plays on words with “elephant,” “telephone,” and similar-sounding nonsense words, creating a tongue-twisting, humorous effect.
12. “The Table and the Chair” by Edward Lear
A table and a chair decide to go for a walk together, despite their obvious inability to do so.
13. “Do You Carrot All for Me?” (author unknown)
This poem is a series of food puns presented as a romantic proposal, using vegetable and fruit names to express affection and the desire to marry.
14. “The Theoretic Turtle” by Amos Russel Wells
A turtle encounters a pole in the road and overthinks how to get past it, devising elaborate solutions instead of simply walking around it.
15. “Why We Oppose Pockets for Women” by Alice Duer Miller
A satirical poem written in 1914 listing ridiculous reasons why women shouldn’t have pockets, highlighting the absurdity of arguments against women’s rights during the suffrage movement.
16. “Perils of Thinking” (author unknown)
A centipede becomes paralyzed with confusion after being asked which leg comes after which, illustrating the dangers of overthinking.
17. “Have You Ever Seen” (author unknown)
This poem consists of a series of questions that use wordplay and literal interpretations of common phrases to create humorous and nonsensical images.
18. “The Horrid Voice of Science” by Vachel Lindsay
The speaker expresses displeasure with the scientific view of nature, which reduces living things to mere machinery, and wishes those who think this way would disappear.
19. “Funny Young Fellow” by Anonymous
A young man named Perkins, who was very fond of gherkins, ate ninety-three of them after tea and “pickled his internal workings”.
20. “One Perfect Rose” by Dorothy Parker
The speaker receives a single perfect rose from her admirer, which is supposed to symbolize deep love. She then humorously questions why no one has ever sent her a limousine instead.
21. “The Stargazer” (author unknown)
A stargazer, too engrossed in looking at the stars, falls into a well. A neighbor finds him and tells him that he is misled and needs to pay more attention to what is in front of him.
Funny Poems Features
There are a few main features that funny poems have:
- Rhyme and Rhythm: A lot of humorous poetry employs rhyme schemes and rhythmic patterns that contribute to their humor. Rhyme is a musical device that enhances the effects of the punchlines.
- Hyperbole: Exaggeration is the go-to for humorous poetry. Exaggerating certain characteristics or circumstances to the extreme can generate humorous scenarios, ones with which readers can identify.
- Nonsensical: Some humorous poems contain nonsense or absurdity, which effectively defies logic.
- Wordplay: Puns and clever word choice is often used to provoke laughter. Playing around with language can lead to surprising twists in meaning.
Types of Funny Poems
Funny poetry comes in many different styles and structures. Here are the most popular:
- Limericks: This type of poem is characterized by its humorous verses and a specific AABBA rhyme scheme and consists of five lines. It commonly ends with a punchline that is the twist for the joke.
- List Poems: They compile a list of items or ideas, and usually end with some kind of funny punchline or insight.
- Narrative Poems: These funny poems offer a bit more room to build a joke or two through the setting and characters.
- Couplets: Rhyming two-line verses to tell humorous observations or jokes.
- Absurdist Poems: They welcome the ridiculousness of life taking place in a surreal situation with humor.
How to Write Funny Poems?
There are several things you can do to craft a successful funny poem:
- Similar to a good divided sentence, a must-read humorous poem often contains a surprising twist at the end. This surprise can make someone laugh because it goes against what the reader was expecting.
- Exaggerating certain traits or circumstances to an extreme can be funny. If you have a character who is particularly clumsy, you could exaggerate such traits and create a humorous visual.
- Humor can come from the contrast of ideas or images. For example, portraying a serious situation in a humorous manner creates an ironic contrast.
- A reader will find something amusing if you use unconventional words. Some words may warrant a giggle simply by their sound or meaning.
- Occasionally, repeating a phrase or a line will create comedic momentum and reinforce the light-hearted feel of the poem.
Famous Poets and Their Work
Here are a few poets that have contributed greatly to the field of humorous poetry.
- Edward Lear: Recognized as the father of limericks, Lear paired illustrated whimsies with silly rhymes on ridiculous ideas in his Book of Nonsense.
- Woodson: Often using an autobiographical angle to explore issues of race and identity, Woodson is the author of numerous award-winning books, including the Newbery Honor Books, Brown Girl Dreaming, and Another Brooklyn.
- Jack Prelutsky: A recent poet focused on children’s poetry, Prelutsky often uses humor involving silly language and situations.
- Shel Silverstein: His poems are both humorous and poignantly educational, and the illustrations, coupled with whimsical poems, attract both children and adults.
The Role of Humor in Poetry
Humor serves various purposes in poetry:
- Coping Mechanism: Funny poetry allows readers to confront serious subjects with levity, providing a means to cope with life’s challenges through laughter.
- Social Commentary: Many humorous poems critique societal norms or political issues through satire, making serious topics more accessible.
- Connection Building: Laughter fosters connections between poets and readers; shared humor can create bonds over common experiences or observations.
Conclusion
These funny poems are little reminders that life really is funnier than fiction. They are full of wit and whimsy. Whether through clever wordplay or ludicrous misadventures, they are sure to delight readers young and old! I hope by sharing these absurdly funny lines, we may be able to pick people up a little bit and bind them with joy through modesty, so share away!
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