The Donkey — Nursery Rhyme Lyrics

Donkey, donkey, old and gray,
Ope your mouth and gently bray;
Lift your ears and blow your horn,
To wake the world this sleepy morn.

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Learning from "The Donkey"

Nursery rhymes are some of the best teachers of rhythm and rhyme. "The Donkey" 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 The Donkey?
The lyrics to The Donkey are: Donkey, donkey, old and gray, / Ope your mouth and gently bray; / Lift your ears and blow your horn, / To wake the world this sleepy morn.
How many lines does The Donkey have?
"The Donkey" has 4 lines of verse.

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