Mother Goose Poems

A collection of select Mother Goose famous poems that were written by Mother Goose or written about the poet by other famous poets. PoetrySoup is a comprehensive educational resource of the greatest poems and poets on history.

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Belleisle

by Mother Goose
At the siege of Belleisle
I was there all the while,
All the while, all the while,
At the siege of Belleisle....Read more of this...

The Bunch Of Blue Ribbons

by Mother Goose
Oh, dear, what can the matter be?
Oh, dear, what can the matter be?
Oh, dear, what can the matter be?
    Johnny's so long at the fair.

He promised he'd buy me a bunch of blue ribbons,
He promised he'd buy me a bunch of blue ribbons,
He promised he'd buy me a bunch of blue ribbons,
To tie up my bonny brown...Read more of this...

Lock And Key

by Mother Goose
"I am a gold lock."
"I am a gold key."
"I am a silver lock."
"I am a silver key."
"I am a brass lock."
"I am a brass key."
"I am a lead lock."
"I am a lead key."
"I am a don lock."
"I am a don key!"...Read more of this...

Little Maid

by Mother Goose
"Little maid, pretty maid, whither goest thou?"
"Down in the forest to milk my cow."
"Shall I go with thee?" "No, not now;
When I send for thee, then come thou."...Read more of this...

If Wishes Were Horses

by Mother Goose
If wishes were horses, beggars would ride.
If turnips were watches, I would wear one by my side.
    And if "ifs" and "ands"
    Were pots and pans,
There'd be no work for tinkers!...Read more of this...

Jenny Wren

by Mother Goose
As little Jenny Wren
    Was sitting by her shed.
She waggled with her tail,
    And nodded with her head.
She waggled with her tail,
    And nodded with her head,
As little Jenny Wren
    Was sitting by the shed....Read more of this...

The Robin

by Mother Goose
The north wind doth blow,
And we shall have snow,
And what will poor robin do then,
                    Poor thing?

He'll sit in a barn,
And keep himself warm,
And hide his head under his wing,
           ...Read more of this...

Peter Piper

by Mother Goose
Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers;
A peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked.
If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers,
Where's the peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked?...Read more of this...

Young Roger And Dolly

by Mother Goose
Young Roger came tapping at Dolly's window,
    Thumpaty, thumpaty, thump!

He asked for admittance; she answered him "No!"
    Frumpaty, frumpaty, frump!

"No, no, Roger, no! as you came you may go!"
    Stumpaty, stumpaty, stump!...Read more of this...

The Clock

by Mother Goose
There's a neat little clock,--
  In the schoolroom it stands,--
And it points to the time
  With its two little hands.

And may we, like the clock,
  Keep a face clean and bright,
With hands ever ready
  To do what is right....Read more of this...

The Old Woman And The Pedlar

by Mother Goose
There was an old woman, as I've heard tell,
She went to market her eggs for to sell;
She went to market all on a market-day,
And she fell asleep on the King's highway.

There came by a pedlar whose name was Stout,
He cut her petticoats all round about;
He cut her petticoats up to the knees,
Which made the old woman to shiver and freeze.

When...Read more of this...

Heigh-Ho, The Carrion Crow

by Mother Goose
A carrion crow sat on an oak,
    Fol de riddle, lol de riddle, hi ding do,
Watching a tailor shape his cloak;
    Sing heigh-ho, the carrion crow,
    Fol de riddle, lol de riddle, hi ding do!

Wife, bring me my old bent bow,
    Fol de riddle, lol de riddle, hi...Read more of this...

The Clever Hen

by Mother Goose
I had a little hen, the prettiest ever seen,
She washed me the dishes and kept the house clean;
She went to the mill to fetch me some flour,
She brought it home in less than an hour;
She baked me my bread, she brewed me my ale,
She sat by the fire and told many a fine tale....Read more of this...

Three Straws

by Mother Goose
Three straws on a staff
Would make a baby cry and laugh....Read more of this...

Two Gray Kits

by Mother Goose
  The two gray kits,
And the gray kits' mother,
  All went over
The bridge together.

The bridge broke down,
  They all fell in;
"May the rats go with you,"
  Says Tom Bolin....Read more of this...

One, He Loves

by Mother Goose
One, he loves; two, he loves;
Three, he loves, they say;
Four, he loves with all his heart;
Five, he casts away.
Six, he loves; seven, she loves;
Eight, they both love.
Nine, he comes; ten, he tarries;
Eleven, he courts; twelve, he marries....Read more of this...

Bat, Bat

by Mother Goose
    Bat, bat,
    Come under my hat,
And I'll give you a slice of bacon;
    And when I bake
    I'll give you a cake
If I am not mistaken....Read more of this...

Tommy Snooks

by Mother Goose
As Tommy Snooks and Bessy Brooks
  Were walking out one Sunday,
Says Tommy Snooks to Bessy Brooks,
  "Wilt marry me on Monday?"...Read more of this...

Over The Water

by Mother Goose
Over the water, and over the sea,
And over the water to Charley,
I'll have none of your nasty beef,
Nor I'll have none of your barley;
But I'll have some of your very best flour
To make a white cake for my Charley....Read more of this...

Pancake Day

by Mother Goose
Great A, little a,
This is pancake day;
Toss the ball high,
Throw the ball low,
Those that come after
May sing heigh-ho!...Read more of this...

The Coachman

by Mother Goose
Up at Piccadilly, oh!
    The coachman takes his stand,
And when he meets a pretty girl
    He takes her by the hand;
Whip away forever, oh!
    Drive away so clever, oh!
All the way to Bristol, oh!
    He drives her four-in-hand....Read more of this...

I'Ll Tell You A Story

by Mother Goose
  I'll tell you a story
  About Jack-a-Nory:
And now my story's begun.
  I'll tell you another
  About his brother:
And now my story is done....Read more of this...

Old Grimes

by Mother Goose
Old Grimes is dead, that good old man,
     We ne'er shall see him more;
He used to wear a long brown coat
     All buttoned down before....Read more of this...

My Love

by Mother Goose
Saw ye aught of my love a-coming from the market?
  A peck of meal upon her back,
  A babby in her basket;
Saw ye aught of my love a-coming from the market?...Read more of this...

Candle-Saving

by Mother Goose
To make your candles last for aye,
You wives and maids give ear-O!
To put them out's the only way,
Says honest John Boldero....Read more of this...

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