Pirate Story — Nursery Rhyme Lyrics

Three of us afloat in the meadow by the swing,
Three of us abroad in the basket on the lea.
Winds are in the air, they are blowing in the spring,
And waves are on the meadow like the waves there are at sea.
Where shall we adventure, to-day that we're afloat,
Shall it be to Africa, a-steering of the boat,
To Providence, or Babylon or off to Malabar?
Hi! but here's a squadron a-rowing on the sea--
Cattle on the meadow a-charging with a roar!
Quick, and we'll escape them, they're as mad as they can be,
The wicket is the harbour and the garden is the shore.

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Learning from "Pirate Story"

Nursery rhymes are some of the best teachers of rhythm and rhyme. "Pirate Story" uses 11 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 Pirate Story?
The lyrics to Pirate Story are: Three of us afloat in the meadow by the swing, / Three of us abroad in the basket on the lea. / Winds are in the air, they are blowing in the spring, / And waves are on the meadow like the waves there are at sea. / Where shall we adventure, to-day that we're afloat, / Shall it be to Africa, a-steering of the boat, ... Read the full 11-line nursery rhyme at Rhyme Buster.
How many lines does Pirate Story have?
"Pirate Story" has 11 lines of verse.

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