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Purple Cow — Nursery Rhyme Lyrics

I never saw a purple cow.
I never hope to see one.
But I can tell you, anyhow,
I'd rather see than be one!

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Learning from "Purple Cow"

Nursery rhymes are some of the best teachers of rhythm and rhyme. "Purple Cow" 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 Purple Cow?
The lyrics to Purple Cow are: I never saw a purple cow. / I never hope to see one. / But I can tell you, anyhow, / I'd rather see than be one!
How many lines does Purple Cow have?
"Purple Cow" has 4 lines of verse.