- A clerihew is a humorous four-line biographical poem.
- Lines one and two rhyme with each other.
- Lines three and four rhyme with each other.
- The second line is often, but not always, longer than the first line.
- The fourth line is often, but not always, longer than the third line.
- Line three begins with the name of the subject of the poem.
- The clerihew has a strong rhythmic beat when read aloud.
- The clerihew is often used to poke fun at the subject in a good-natured way.
Example:
There once was a man named Dave
Who was always so very brave.
He would jump off cliffs
And do other crazy stunts, that made people laugh.