Bobby Shaftos Gone to Sea — Nursery Rhyme Lyrics

Bobby Shafto's gone to sea,
Silver buckles at his knee;
He'll come back and marry me,
Bonny Bobby Shafto!
Bobby Shafto's bright and fair,
Panning out his yellow hair;
He's my love for evermore,
Bonny Bobby Shafto!

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Learning from "Bobby Shaftos Gone to Sea"

Nursery rhymes are some of the best teachers of rhythm and rhyme. "Bobby Shaftos Gone to Sea" uses 8 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 Bobby Shaftos Gone to Sea?
The lyrics to Bobby Shaftos Gone to Sea are: Bobby Shafto's gone to sea, / Silver buckles at his knee; / He'll come back and marry me, / Bonny Bobby Shafto! / Bobby Shafto's bright and fair, / Panning out his yellow hair; ... Read the full 8-line nursery rhyme at Rhyme Buster.
How many lines does Bobby Shaftos Gone to Sea have?
"Bobby Shaftos Gone to Sea" has 8 lines of verse.

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