AABBA

AABBA is a rhyme scheme used in poetry to describe the end rhymes of a five-line stanza commonly found in limericks. The scheme indicates that lines 1, 2, and 5 share the same end rhyme (A), while lines 3 and 4 share a different end rhyme (B). In most uses, lines 1, 2, and 5 are longer than lines 3 and 4 and the overall pattern creates a sing-song rhythm conducive to humor.

The form is most closely associated with the limerick, a short humorous or bawdy poem. Limericks typically have five lines with an unstressed-stressed pattern and anapestic meter, though exact metrical patterns vary by poem and language. The first, second, and fifth lines usually contain three feet, while the third and fourth lines contain two feet, producing a distinctive rhythm.

Historically, the rhyme scheme is a defining feature used by critics and anthologists to identify limericks. The origin of the limerick and its AABBA pattern is uncertain, with attributions to English and Irish literary traditions in the 18th and 19th centuries. The term AABBA is a descriptive label rather than a standalone poetic form, and poets occasionally employ near rhymes or playful deviations from the strict pattern.

In summary, AABBA denotes the canonical rhyme structure of the limerick and serves as a concise shorthand in literary analysis for that five-line, AABBA rhymed verse.