I Cannot Bear — Nursery Rhyme Lyrics

I cannot bear to see a bear
Bear down upon a hare.
When bare of hair he strips the hare,
Right there I cry, "Forbear!"

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Learning from "I Cannot Bear"

Nursery rhymes are some of the best teachers of rhythm and rhyme. "I Cannot Bear" 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 I Cannot Bear?
The lyrics to I Cannot Bear are: I cannot bear to see a bear / Bear down upon a hare. / When bare of hair he strips the hare, / Right there I cry, "Forbear!"
How many lines does I Cannot Bear have?
"I Cannot Bear" has 4 lines of verse.

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