Swan Swam Over the Sea — Nursery Rhyme Lyrics

Swan swam over the sea,
Swim, swan, swim!
Swan swam back again,
Well swum, swan!

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Learning from "Swan Swam Over the Sea"

Nursery rhymes are some of the best teachers of rhythm and rhyme. "Swan Swam Over the Sea" 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 Swan Swam Over the Sea?
The lyrics to Swan Swam Over the Sea are: Swan swam over the sea, / Swim, swan, swim! / Swan swam back again, / Well swum, swan!
How many lines does Swan Swam Over the Sea have?
"Swan Swam Over the Sea" has 4 lines of verse.

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