Pairs Or Pears — Nursery Rhyme Lyrics

Twelve pairs hanging high,
Twelve knights riding by,
Each knight took a pear,
And yet left a dozen there.

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Learning from "Pairs Or Pears"

Nursery rhymes are some of the best teachers of rhythm and rhyme. "Pairs Or Pears" 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 Pairs Or Pears?
The lyrics to Pairs Or Pears are: Twelve pairs hanging high, / Twelve knights riding by, / Each knight took a pear, / And yet left a dozen there.
How many lines does Pairs Or Pears have?
"Pairs Or Pears" has 4 lines of verse.

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