As I was going by Charing Cross — Nursery Rhyme Lyrics

As I was going by Charing Cross,
I saw a black man upon a black horse;
They told me it was King Charles the First-
Oh dear, my heart was ready to burst!

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Learning from "As I was going by Charing Cross"

Nursery rhymes are some of the best teachers of rhythm and rhyme. "As I was going by Charing Cross" 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.

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Frequently asked questions

What are the words to As I was going by Charing Cross?
The lyrics to As I was going by Charing Cross are: As I was going by Charing Cross, / I saw a black man upon a black horse; / They told me it was King Charles the First- / Oh dear, my heart was ready to burst!
How many lines does As I was going by Charing Cross have?
"As I was going by Charing Cross" has 4 lines of verse.

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