Jack Jelf — Nursery Rhyme Lyrics

Little Jack Jelf
Was put on the shelf
Because he could not spell "pie";
When his aunt, Mrs. Grace,
Saw his sorrowful face,
She could not help saying, "Oh, fie!"
And since Master Jelf
Was put on the shelf
Because he could not spell "pie,"
Let him stand there so grim,
And no more about him,
For I wish him a very good-bye!

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Learning from "Jack Jelf"

Nursery rhymes are some of the best teachers of rhythm and rhyme. "Jack Jelf" uses 12 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 Jack Jelf?
The lyrics to Jack Jelf are: Little Jack Jelf / Was put on the shelf / Because he could not spell "pie"; / When his aunt, Mrs. Grace, / Saw his sorrowful face, / She could not help saying, "Oh, fie!" ... Read the full 12-line nursery rhyme at Rhyme Buster.
How many lines does Jack Jelf have?
"Jack Jelf" has 12 lines of verse.

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