Old Man — Nursery Rhyme Lyrics

There was an Old Man on some rocks,
Who shut his Wife up in a box:
When she said, "Let me out," he exclaimed, "Without doubt
You will pass all your life in that box."

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Learning from "Old Man"

Nursery rhymes are some of the best teachers of rhythm and rhyme. "Old Man" 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 Man?
The lyrics to Old Man are: There was an Old Man on some rocks, / Who shut his Wife up in a box: / When she said, "Let me out," he exclaimed, "Without doubt / You will pass all your life in that box."
How many lines does Old Man have?
"Old Man" has 4 lines of verse.

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