Featured Illustrated Rhymes
Many of these rhymes are accompanied by funny sounds or recordings!
English
Welcome to Mama Lisa's World, House of English Nursery Rhymes... Here you can find classic Mother Goose and other traditional poems and lullabies from English speaking countries.
About Mother Goose
"Mother Goose" is the name for the informal collection of nursery rhymes sung by children across the English speaking world. The songs are of diverse origin and many are hundreds of years old. Some scholars speculate that the rhymes originally had political or sociological significance. Though that might be true, such associations have mostly been forgotten. Today, they’re simply fun – symbols of the innocence of youth, the collective property of all children.
A rabbit loves his carrots,
A kitten loves her mouse,
I hope you like the silly rhymes
In Mama Lisa's House!
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Here are some of Mama Lisa's recent posts about the music, culture and traditions of the world.
Italian singer and songwriter, Giada de Gioia sent us the following song with this note, "I’d like to submit this song. I am the author of both lyrics and music. It was awarded in Bimbofestival 2011 as best lyrics of the whole competition. Published by Map Milano Italy." Here’s the mp3 recording, the song lyrics in... Read more »
Here’s the French poem Le Thé (Tea) by Théodore de Banville with an mp3 recording. After the poem you’ll find an English translation. MP3 of Le Thé Le Thé Miss Ellen, versez-moi le Thé Dans la belle tasse chinoise, Où des poissons d'or cherchent noise... Read more »
Here’s a lovely poem about The Wind by Robert Louis Stevenson with a couple of mp3 renditions. MP3 of The Wind 2nd MP3 of The Wind The Wind I saw you toss the kites on high And blow the birds about the sky; And all around I heard you pass, Like ladies’ skirts across the grass– O wind, a-blowing all day long, O wind,... Read more »
Here’s a little poem about clouds by Christina Rossetti. MP3 of the Poem "Clouds" Clouds by Christina Rossetti White sheep, white sheep, On a blue hill, When the wind stops You all stand still When the wind blows You walk... Read more »- Debra wrote asking for help with a Yiddish rhyme: The following has been passed down through the ages (at least 150 years) by my mothers family, though we can only guess what the words mean now or the correct spelling of the words. I am hoping you may recognize it or be able to decipher it... Read more »
- Jeff wrote asking for help with a Yiddish song. Here’s his email: Hi, I grew up reciting a Yiddish rhyme or song where we pinched the skin on the back of each others hands and bobbed them up and down while saying something like (and I’m just writing what it sounded like): "Sipicle sipicle amadal, kimsimir and kamadal,... Read more »
Reduplications are words or phrases that contain a duplicated element. An example is the phrase "riffraff". The two parts of the word are almost the same (i.e. "riff" and "raff"), but they have a small change (the vowels). When you have a rhyming reduplication, the duplicated element rhymes with the original element in the phrase. ... Read more »- Rachel wrote looking for help with an Italian song: My Italian grandmother used to sing to me a song that went something like. Peter peter pastela. canavane canela canela cususi felule mascule di... Read more »
Jeff Gilpin sent this lullaby with the following note, "Here is a song I wrote after visiting my wife’s sister in Ayase which is outside of Tokyo, Japan. I think it is very kid friendly and I hope you like it add it to your list of children songs. It is called Ayase Lullaby. Here... Read more »- Peter wrote asking for help with a song his grandmother sang him. Here’s his email: Hello, I was hoping you’d be able to help with a song my grandmother sang to us when we were kids. It seems nobody can remember the whole thing but it starts like this: "There was a young man who lived on... Read more »
