Simple Simon — Nursery Rhyme Lyrics

Simple Simon met a pieman,
Going to the fair.
Said Simple Simon to the pieman,
"Let me taste your ware."
Said the pieman unto Simon,
"Show me first your penny."
Said Simple Simon to the pieman,
"Indeed I have not any."
Simple Simon went a-fishing,
For to catch a whale;
But all the water he had got
Was in his mother's pail.
Simple Simon went to look,
If plums grew on a thistle;
He pricked his fingers very much,
Which made poor Simon whistle.
He went for water in a sieve,
But soon it all fell through;
And now poor Simple Simon
Bids you all adieu.

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Learning from "Simple Simon"

Nursery rhymes are some of the best teachers of rhythm and rhyme. "Simple Simon" uses 20 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 Simple Simon?
The lyrics to Simple Simon are: Simple Simon met a pieman, / Going to the fair. / Said Simple Simon to the pieman, / "Let me taste your ware." / Said the pieman unto Simon, / "Show me first your penny." ... Read the full 20-line nursery rhyme at Rhyme Buster.
How many lines does Simple Simon have?
"Simple Simon" has 20 lines of verse.

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