If Wishes Were Horses — Nursery Rhyme Lyrics

If wishes were horses,
Then beggars would ride.
If turnips were watches,
I'd wear one by my side.
And if "ifs" and "ands"
Were pots and pans,
There'd be no work for tinkers!

Explore Words From This Rhyme

Find Rhymes

Look Up Definitions

More Nursery Rhymes

Browse all nursery rhymes →

Learning from "If Wishes Were Horses"

Nursery rhymes are some of the best teachers of rhythm and rhyme. "If Wishes Were Horses" uses 7 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 "If Wishes Were Horses"? Try writing your own rhymes:

Generate a verse

Frequently asked questions

What are the words to If Wishes Were Horses?
The lyrics to If Wishes Were Horses are: If wishes were horses, / Then beggars would ride. / If turnips were watches, / I'd wear one by my side. / And if "ifs" and "ands" / Were pots and pans, ... Read the full 7-line nursery rhyme at Rhyme Buster.
How many lines does If Wishes Were Horses have?
"If Wishes Were Horses" has 7 lines of verse.

Explore More Word Tools