A Strange Old Woman — Nursery Rhyme Lyrics

There was an old woman, and what do you think?
She lived upon nothing but victuals and drink;
Victuals and drink were the chief of her diet,
And yet this old woman could never be quiet.

Explore Words From This Rhyme

Find Rhymes

Look Up Definitions

More Nursery Rhymes

Browse all nursery rhymes →

Learning from "A Strange Old Woman"

Nursery rhymes are some of the best teachers of rhythm and rhyme. "A Strange Old Woman" uses 4 lines to create a memorable verse — proof that effective poetry doesn't need to be long. Pay attention to the meter: the pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables is what makes the rhyme stick in your head.

Songwriters and poets can borrow these patterns. Try writing your own lyrics using the same rhyme scheme and line length as this nursery rhyme. You can also use words from the poem above as starting points — click any word to find rhymes or look up its definition, then build from there.

Create your own verse

Inspired by "A Strange Old Woman"? Try writing your own rhymes:

Generate a verse

Frequently asked questions

What are the words to A Strange Old Woman?
The lyrics to A Strange Old Woman are: There was an old woman, and what do you think? / She lived upon nothing but victuals and drink; / Victuals and drink were the chief of her diet, / And yet this old woman could never be quiet.
How many lines does A Strange Old Woman have?
"A Strange Old Woman" has 4 lines of verse.

Explore More Word Tools