The Man Of Tobago — Nursery Rhyme Lyrics

There was an old man of Tobago
Who lived on rice, gruel, and sago,
Till much to his bliss,
His physician said this:
"To a leg, sir, of mutton, you may go."

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Learning from "The Man Of Tobago"

Nursery rhymes are some of the best teachers of rhythm and rhyme. "The Man Of Tobago" uses 5 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 Man Of Tobago?
The lyrics to The Man Of Tobago are: There was an old man of Tobago / Who lived on rice, gruel, and sago, / Till much to his bliss, / His physician said this: / "To a leg, sir, of mutton, you may go."
How many lines does The Man Of Tobago have?
"The Man Of Tobago" has 5 lines of verse.

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