“How does your garden grow?”: Nursery Rhymes and Poetry

A well-known English nursery rhyme came to mind when I shot this picture.

Mistress Mary, Quite contrary,
How does your garden grow?
With Silver Bells, And Cockle Shells,
And so my garden grows.

Nursery rhymes are an excellent way to get started with poetry writing. They also serve as good writing prompts. This one in particular works both ways. What makes it a fine example to get you started with poetry? What words can you think of that rhyme with the different plants or animals that you might find in a garden? How could you use this nursery rhyme as a writing prompt? What questions does it bring to mind so you would reflect and be inspired to write?

Keep in mind that all poems do not necessarily need to rhyme. Have fun in the process! ~~LMMolina

Here’s my adapted version:

Mary, Mary I see you there

with your plants that you 

tenderly take great care 

Show me how you do it

so I can learn

to care for my plants, too! 

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33 thoughts on ““How does your garden grow?”: Nursery Rhymes and Poetry

  1. Feeling the crystalline water touch your skin.The waves that are music to your ears,waves that sing,waves that dance to the rhythm of the sunset.The breeze that kisses your shaded skin,the breeze that caresses your hair.The bright sun that reddens your skin and the pieces of salt rubbing your beautiful skin.

  2. Sleep
    Starry whispers,
    make a floating soul.
    Take my voice, sight and hearing,
    ’till its all yours.
    Let it all whither.

  3. Even though sometimes i doubt
    And i see my garden is not working out
    With a little persistence
    And a little of sunshine
    With a lot of love
    That is the way
    My garden grows

  4. The garden
    A garden takes persistence,
    You have to be willing to go the distance.
    You have to take care of it on a sunny day,
    and protect it from the darkness that wants to take it away.
    It’ll grow it’ll thrive, and then it will stop, it will die,
    but in the back of your head you’ll always know,
    that every spring, once again you’ll see your garden grow

  5. little ants in between the plants,
    that quickly scatter around protecting the garden
    and standing their ground,
    no matter the problem they are ready for all,
    even if they fail it does not a matter
    cause they work as a community to rebuild it all.

  6. I plant a seed,
    I can’t wait to see.
    The amazing of the life in it.
    I can’t wait to see,
    but patience has to be in me.
    How beautiful the color of the rainbow is,
    that shines my wonderful garden,
    that slowly growing is.

  7. I’ve always been there
    Waiting for you to grow
    What a beauty
    Staying there waiting
    For me

  8. The Beauty of the heart

    Beautiful is the heart,
    Poppies of joy, roses of passion, orchids of beauties, lilies of sincerity.
    How cute is the heart.
    How cute the seeds that are born from it.
    How cute the flower petals that sprout from it.
    How cute the trees that shelter it.
    How beautiful is the heart.

  9. crazy lights kissing my skin
    music too loud to sit still
    people dancing around
    like crazy kids letting the
    sound take control.
    Feet burning, torso hurting,
    I’ll never get tired of the feeling.

  10. Between us

    The night is tormenting me as cold water.
    I feel how the vines are growing trying to reach my heart.
    The thorns of the roses are keeping me to speak up.
    And every day that pases the sun is just going to burn again.

  11. When a great friend left this world,
    When the invader wasn’t judged,
    When many people couldn’t stand it,
    When the leader’s image was on the floor,
    Where was the one who fought for justice?

  12. My thoughts are gone
    I’m frustrated,
    Only one thing left to do
    Start everything over again and make it right

  13. Garden
    It’s always green and fine,
    with all its flowers in different colors,
    so beautiful that leaves me blind,
    I’m sad with some problems,
    Maria is taking all its flowers.

  14. -They say if you love something let it go
    But what if it’s what keeps you from falling
    Would you fall down into a void of dismay
    Would you fly up into a sky of enlightenment
    Or would you stay still in doubt and realize
    That you were the one keeping yourself up all along

  15. Scars are beautiful
    They are memories
    Mark an event of our story called life
    Become part of us
    Are there, and always will be
    Till the end of our existence

  16. My garden is beautiful
    but if a storm comes there will be no garden
    thanks to God my garden will grow again
    And it will be beautiful all again

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