Nancy Dawson — Nursery Rhyme Lyrics

Nancy Dawson was so fine
She wouldn't get up to serve the swine;
She lies in bed till eight or nine,
So it's Oh, poor Nancy Dawson.
And do ye ken Nancy Dawson, honey?
The wife who sells the barley, honey?
She won't get up to feed her swine,
And do ye ken Nancy Dawson, honey?

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Learning from "Nancy Dawson"

Nursery rhymes are some of the best teachers of rhythm and rhyme. "Nancy Dawson" 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 Nancy Dawson?
The lyrics to Nancy Dawson are: Nancy Dawson was so fine / She wouldn't get up to serve the swine; / She lies in bed till eight or nine, / So it's Oh, poor Nancy Dawson. / And do ye ken Nancy Dawson, honey? / The wife who sells the barley, honey? ... Read the full 8-line nursery rhyme at Rhyme Buster.
How many lines does Nancy Dawson have?
"Nancy Dawson" has 8 lines of verse.

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