15+ Must-Read Humorous Poems

(15 to start, 30+ to explore)

Humor poetry aims to entertain, using comedy, wit, and satire to amuse readers. This can take many forms, from light, whimsical verse to sharp satirical commentary.

Humor can be used to bring levity to serious topics, making them more accessible and stimulating thought and discussion in a less confrontational way. Famous humor poets include Shel Silverstein, Ogden Nash, and Edward Lear, whose nonsensical and playful poems continue to delight readers of all ages.

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"> 87/100

A Giraffe and a Half

by Shel Silverstein

‘A Giraffe and a Half’ by Shel Silverstein playfully narrates a giraffe’s absurd journey, brimming with humor, imagination, and unexpected twists.

Shel's poem with its absurd situations, playful language, and clever wordplay. The poem delights readers with its comedic elements, offering lighthearted entertainment and evoking laughter through its whimsical scenarios and imaginative imagery.

If you had a giraffe

And he stretched another half

You would have a giraffe and a half.

If he put on a hat

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"> 86/100

Epigram Engraved on the Collar of a Dog Which I Gave to His Royal Highness

by Alexander Pope

‘Epigram Engraved on the Collar of a Dog’ is a humorous, playful, and extremely concise poem that presents the dog’s feelings of superiority.

The poem's primary aim is to create humor, which it does to great effect through its use of parody and absurdity.

I am his Highness' dog at Kew;

Pray tell me, sir, whose dog are you?

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"> 70/100

Now We Are Six

by A. A. Milne

‘Now We Are Six’ by A. A. Milne is a funny poem. The young speaker talks about what life was like when they were younger than they are now.

The poem employs a gentle, playful humor, using simple rhymes and witty observations about the stages of childhood. Its charm lies in the clever phrasing and the delightful, almost cheeky, progression of a child’s view of growing up.

When I was One,

I had just begun.

When I was Two,

I was nearly new.

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"> 68/100

Macavity: The Mystery Cat

by T.S. Eliot

‘Macavity: The Mystery Cat’ is a light verse presenting the amusing crimes of the superhuman cat – Macavity.

'Macavity: The Mystery Cat' is a humorous poem as it uses playful language, rhymes, fantastical characters, and absurd situations to make the reader laugh and wonder. The protagonist Macavity humorously entertains as he deceives the cops with his wit every time amidst absurd situations.

Macavity’s a Mystery Cat: he’s called the Hidden Paw—

For he’s the master criminal who can defy the Law.

He’s the bafflement of Scotland Yard, the Flying Squad’s despair:

For when they reach the scene of crime—Macavity’s not there!

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Amusement, Anxiety, Disgust, Sadness

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"> 67/100

The Lesson

by Roger McGough

‘The Lesson’ by Roger McGough is an interesting and unique satirical poem that depicts the violent result of a teacher’s built-up rage.

Chaos ruled OK in the classroom

as bravely the teacher walked in

the nooligans ignored him

his voice was lost in the din

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"> 65/100

Lines Inscribed Upon a Cup Formed From a Skull

by Lord Byron

‘Lines Inscribed Upon a Cup Formed From a Skull’ was written in 1808 and expresses Byron’s disdainful thoughts surrounding death.

The poem's wit emerges through the skull's sardonic voice and irreverent attitude toward death. Byron employs dark comedy through clever wordplay and the absurd situation of a skull critiquing its new purpose, turning what could be purely macabre into a darkly amusing meditation on mortality.

Start not—nor deem my spirit fled:

In me behold the only skull

From which, unlike a living head,

Whatever flows is never dull.

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"> 65/100

Two’s Company

by Raymond Wilson

‘Two’s Company’ by Raymond Wilson is a funny and lighthearted poem about a man who mocks ghost stories but ends up meeting a ghost himself.

This poem clearly fits in the humor genre because it takes something spooky and turns it into something funny. The way the man goes from being bold to completely frightened is written in a playful, joking way. Even the ghost at the end is polite and calm, which adds to the joke. Instead of being scary, the poem uses a funny situation to show how fear can surprise even the most confident people.

They said the house was haunted , but

he laughed at them and said, ‚Tut, tut!

I never heard such tittle-tattle

as ghosts that groan and chains that rattle;

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"> 62/100

Animal Fair

by Anonymous

‘Animal Fair’ is a fun nursery rhyme that describes the actions of a monkey and an elephant, which ends with a cliffhanger.

Humor is central to 'Animal Fair' as the poem thrives on ridiculous and exaggerated scenarios. The humor comes from imagining animals behaving in human-like ways, such as a baboon grooming itself and an elephant sneezing dramatically. These playful and silly images create a light-hearted mood that children and adults alike can enjoy. The humor makes the poem memorable and fun, encouraging laughter and enjoyment.

I went to the animal fair,

The birds and the beasts were there;

The big baboon by the light of the moon

Was combing his auburn hair.

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"> 60/100

Fuzzy-Wuzzy

by Rudyard Kipling

‘Fuzzy-Wuzzy’ is claimed to be a humorous piece written by the famous British poet Rudyard Kipling. It speaks on the gallantry of Hadendoa warriors who are referred to by the derogatory term Fuzzy-Wuzzy.

The genre of this poem is best described as humor, though it deals with war and loss. The speaker uses funny nicknames, jokes, and light teasing to talk about enemies and hard battles. This comic tone makes the poem feel more personal, like how soldiers might talk to each other after a fight. The humor also helps cover up deeper emotions like frustration or sadness, allowing the poem to tell the truth while still keeping a light and familiar tone.

We've fought with many men acrost the seas,

An' some of 'em was brave an' some was not:

The Paythan an' the Zulu an' Burmese;

But the Fuzzy was the finest o' the lot.

#10

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"> 58/100

Aiken Drum

by Anonymous

‘Aiken Drum’ is an interesting Scottish folksong. It dates back to 1820 and describes what one strange man’s clothes are made out of.

Humor is central to ‘Aiken Drum’, and it comes through in the absurdity of a man wearing food as clothing. His hat made of cream cheese and breeches made of haggis bags create ridiculous and amusing mental images. This humorous exaggeration is the key element that makes the poem fun to sing and laugh along with, especially for children who enjoy silly, imaginative stories.

There was a man lived in the moon, lived in the moon, lived in the moon,

There was a man lived in the moon,

And his name was Aiken Drum.

#11

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"> 58/100

English con Salsa

by Gina Valdés

‘English con Salsa’ is a lively poem that blends humor, culture, and language, celebrating bilingual identity and the everyday power of speaking with pride and personality.

Even while dealing with deep issues like identity and immigration, the poem stays light and playful. Valdés uses humor to bring us in, to connect, and to speak the truth in a way that feels welcoming. The jokes and exaggerations are not just for laughs. They help us see how language and culture can be joyful, even in struggle.

English as American as Benito Juarez.

Welcome, muchachos from Xochicalco,

learn the language of dolares and Dolores,

of kings and queens, of Donald Duck and Batman.

#12

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"> 56/100

The Merchant’s Prologue

by Geoffrey Chaucer

‘The Merchant’s Prologue’ is the introduction to ‘The Merchant’s Tale’ and serves to establish the Merchant as an unreliable narrator.

'The Canterbury Tales' by Geoffrey Chaucer are written with a great degree of humour, which can be observed in 'The Merchant's Prologue'. This often entails the ridicule of characters and character archetypes. Chaucer achieves humour throughout the text with the use of hyperbole, making his characters unrealistic yet humorous.

"Wepyng and waylyng, care and oother sorwe

"Weeping and wailing, grief and other sorrow

1214 I knowe ynogh, on even and a-morwe,"

I know enough, on evenings and mornings,"

#13

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"> 53/100

Hymn to the New Omagh Road

by John Montague

‘Hymn to the New Omagh Road’ by John Montague is a poem that uses the construction of a new road to show the influence of modernization on County Tyrone.

In ‘Hymn to the New Omagh Road,’ humor is used sparingly and often in a dark, ironic way. Montague injects subtle humor, especially when mentioning absurd details like the dead having a clear view of the road, to highlight the ridiculous nature of human progress. This humor is not lighthearted but instead serves to make the critique of modernization more striking.

As the bull-dozer bites into the tree-ringed hill fort
Its grapnel jaws lift the mouse, the flower, With equal attention, and the plaited twigs And clay of the bird's nest, shaken by the traffic.
Fall from a crevice under the bridge

#14

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"> 53/100

Mrs Faust

by Carol Ann Duffy

The legend of Faust is retold from the perspective of his wife, who helplessly watches as her husband descends into sin and greed after making a deal with a demon for power.

Throughout the poem 'Mrs Faust', Carol Ann Duffy employs humour to lighten the impact of a depressing topic. The speaker of the poem demonstrates good humour when discussing her own trials and hardships, mocking her own situation and behaviour. Duffy also uses implied humour to satirise the behaviours of middle-class women.

I grew to love lifestyle,

not the life.

He grew to love the kudos,

not the wife.

#15

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"> 50/100

A Ballad of Ducks

by Banjo Paterson

Paterson’s ‘A Ballad of Ducks’ uses wild storytelling to show how absurd it is to rely on ducks during a grasshopper plague.

Paterson uses exaggeration, sarcasm, and rural slang to create a funny yet clever story about a farmer’s frustration during a grasshopper plague. The poem finds comedy in chaos, turning a serious situation into a light-hearted tale, especially with the final punchline involving the hiding ducks.

The railway rattled and roared and swung

With jolting and bumping trucks.

The sun, like a billiard red ball, hung

In the Western sky: and the tireless tongue

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15+ Must-Read Humorous Poems

(15 to start, 30+ to explore)

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15+ Must-Read Humorous Poems

(15 to start, 30+ to explore)

by Shel Silverstein

by Alexander Pope

by A. A. Milne

by T.S. Eliot

by Roger McGough

by Lord Byron

by Raymond Wilson

by Anonymous

by Rudyard Kipling

by Anonymous

by Gina Valdés

by Geoffrey Chaucer

by John Montague

by Carol Ann Duffy

by Banjo Paterson

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