Mother May I Go Out to Swim — Nursery Rhyme Lyrics

"Mother, may I go out to swim?"
"Yes, my darling daughter.
Fold your clothes up neat and trim,
But don't go near the water."

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Learning from "Mother May I Go Out to Swim"

Nursery rhymes are some of the best teachers of rhythm and rhyme. "Mother May I Go Out to Swim" 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 Mother May I Go Out to Swim?
The lyrics to Mother May I Go Out to Swim are: "Mother, may I go out to swim?" / "Yes, my darling daughter. / Fold your clothes up neat and trim, / But don't go near the water."
How many lines does Mother May I Go Out to Swim have?
"Mother May I Go Out to Swim" has 4 lines of verse.

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