Old Gentleman — Nursery Rhyme Lyrics

There was an Old Man who supposed
That the street door was partially closed;
But some very large Rats ate his coats and his hats,
While that futile Old Gentleman dozed.

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Learning from "Old Gentleman"

Nursery rhymes are some of the best teachers of rhythm and rhyme. "Old Gentleman" 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 Old Gentleman?
The lyrics to Old Gentleman are: There was an Old Man who supposed / That the street door was partially closed; / But some very large Rats ate his coats and his hats, / While that futile Old Gentleman dozed.
How many lines does Old Gentleman have?
"Old Gentleman" has 4 lines of verse.

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