LIMERICK

A SENIOR AT LUNCH AT PURDUE/DISCOVERED A MOUSE IN HIS STEW.
SAID THE WAITER, "DON'T SHOUT/AND DISPLAY IT ABOUT.
OR THE PROFS WILL BE WANTING ONE TOO."

Where learned: NOT RECORDED BY COLLECTOR

Keyword(s): 4 LINE STANZA HUMOR LIMERICK FOOD ; RHYME: AABBA

Date learned: NOT RECORDED BY THE COLLECTOR

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POEM

MAY YOUR PATH BE STRUED WITH FLOWERS
WELCOME BE ON EVERY SIDE
MAY YOUR HOME BE VERY HAPPY
MAY NO SORROWS ENTER THERE
MAY SWEET ROSES BLOOM AROUND YOU
AND LOVE GREET YOU EVERYWHERE
MAY YOUR FRIENDS BE MOST FAITHFUL
AND NO THOUGHTLESS WORD IMPLANT
THAT WOULD MAKE YOU FEEL UNHAPPY
OR WOULD WOUND YOUR KINDER HEART

Submitter comment: POEM BY ALBERT WALLEN, WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA

IN AUTOGRAPH BOOK OF LATE MRS. GEORGE A. SCHNEIDER
AND LATE CLARA SPIELBUSCH, TOLEDO, OHIO

Data entry tech comment: IMPLANT MIGHT BE IMPART

Where learned: OHIO ; TOLEDO

Keyword(s): ALLITERATION ; FLOWERS ; FRIENDSHIP ; HAPPINESS ; KINDNESS ; METAPHOR ; METER: TROCHEES ; REPETITION ; RHYME: ABCADAEFCA ; SERIOUSNESS ; SINCERITY ; STANZA ; WISH

Date learned: 11-21-1965

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BLOOD ON THE RISERS

HE WAS JUST A ROOKIE TROOPER,
AND HE SURELY SHOOK WITH FRIGHT.
HE CHECKED OFF HIS EQUIPMENT,
AND MADE SURE HIS PACK WAS TIGHT.
HE HAD TO SIT AND LISTEN TO THOSE
AWFUL ENGINES ROAR.
AND HE AIN'T GONNA JUMP NO MORE. MM
(CHORUS) GORY, GORY WHAT A HELLUVA WAY TO DIE.
GORY, GORY WHAT A HELLUVA WAY TO DIE.
GORY, GORY WHAT A HELLUVA WAY TO DIE.
AND HE AIN'T GONNA JUMP NO MORE. MM
IS EVERYBODY HAPPY,
CRIED THE SERGEANT LOOKING UP?
OUR HERO FEEBLY ANSWERED, YES,
AND THEN THEY STOOD HIM UP.
HE JUMPED INTO THE ICY BLAST,
HIS STATIC LINE UNHOOKED.
AND HE AIN'T GONNA JUMP NO MORE. MM
(CHORUS) MM
HE COUNTED LOUD, HE COUNTED LONG,
HE WAITED FOR THE SHOCK.
HE FELT THE WIND, HE FELT THE COLD,
HE FELT THE AWFUL DROP.
HE JERKED THE CORD, THE SILK SPILLED OUT,
AND WRAPPED AROUND HIS LEGS.
AND HE AIN'T GONNA JUMP NO MORE. MM
(CHORUS) MM
THE RISERS SWUNG AROUND HIS NECK,
CONNECTORS CRACKED HIS DOME.
SUSPENSION LINES WERE TIED IN KNOTS,
AROUND HIS SKINNY BONES.
HIS CANOPY BECAME HIS SHROUD,
AND HE HURLED INTO THE EARTH.
AND HE AIN'T GONNA JUMP NO MORE. MM
(CHORUS) MM
THE DAYS HE LIVED AND LOVED AND LAUGHED,
KEPT RUNNING THROUGH HIS MIND.
HE THOUGHT ABOUT THE GIRLS BACK HOME,
THE ONES HE LEFT BEHIND.
HE THOUGHT ABOUT THE MEDICS,
AND HE WONDERED WHAT THEY'D FIND.
AND HE AIN'T GONNA JUMP NO MORE. MM
(CHORUS) MM
THE AMBULANCE WAS ON THE SPOT.
THE JEEPS WERE RUNNING WILD.
THE MEDICS JUMPED AND SCREAMED WITH GLEE,
AND ROLLED THEIR SLEEVES AND SMILED.
FOR IT HAD BEEN A WEEK OR SO
SINCE LAST A CHUTE HAD FAILED.
AND HE AIN'T GONNA JUMP NO MORE. MM
(CHORUS) MM
HE HIT THE GROUND, THE SOUND WAS SPLAT.
HIS BLOOD WENT SPURTING HIGH.
HIS COMRADES THEN WERE HEARD TO SAY,
WHAT A HELLUVA WAY TO DIE.
HE LAY THERE ROLLING TO AND FRO,
IN THE WELTER OF HIS GORE.
AND HE AIN'T GONNA JUMP NO MORE. MM
(CHORUS) MM
THERE WAS BLOOD UPON THE RISERS.
THERE WAS BRAIN UPON THE CHUTE.
INTESTINES WERE A'DANGLIN' FROM
THIS PARATROOPER'S BOOTS.
THEY PICKED HIM UP STILL IN THE CHUTE,
AND POURED HIM FROM HIS BOOTS.
AND HE AIN'T GONNA JUMP NO MORE. MM
(CHORUS)

Submitter comment: THIS IS A MARCHING CADENCE SUNG TO THE TUNE
OF "BATTLE HYMN OF THE REPUBLIC." UNITED
STATES ARMY AIRBORNE SCHOOL IS A THREE-WEEK
COURSE OF INSTRUCTION AT FORT BENNING,
GEORGIA. THE FIRST TWO WEEKS OF INSTRUCTION
CONSIST OF GROUND AND TOWER TRAINING. THE
THIRD WEEK CONSISTS ENTIRELY OF SUCCESSFULLY
COMPLETING FIVE PARACHUTE JUMPS FROM AN AIRCRAFT
IN FLIGHT. AFTER SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF
GROUND AND TOWER TRAINING, BUT PRIOR TO JUMP
WEEK, "BLOOD ON THE RISERS" RECORDINGS ARE
PLAYED ON LOUDSPEAKERS THROUGHOUT THE STUDENT
COMPANY AREA AS A FORM OF GOOD-NATURED INTIMIDATION
BY THE CADRE.
"RISERS" REFERS TO HEAVY NYLON STRAPS WHICH
EXTEND FROM THE PARACHUTE HARNESS TO THE SUSPENSION
LINES. "STATIC LINE" IS A CORD WHICH IS SNAPPED
TO A WIRE RUNNING THE LENGTH OF THE INTERIOR OF
THE AIRCRAFT, AND WHICH OPENS THE CHUTE
AUTOMATICALLY AS THE JUMPER EXITS THE AIRCRAFT.
THE "COUNT" REFERS TO THE JUMPER'S SILENTLY
COUNTING TO FOUR AND AWAITING THE OPENING SHOCK
OF THE PARACHUTE, LETTING HIM KNOW THAT THE
PARACHUTE HAS DEPLOYED SAFELY. THE "CONNECTORS"
ARE HEAVY ALUMINUM CLIPS WHICH ATTACH THE RISERS
SECURELY TO THE PARACHUTE HARNESS AT CHEST LEVEL.
"SUSPENSION LINES" ARE THE SEVERAL NARROW NYLON
CORDS WHICH RUN FROM THE RISERS TO THE EDGE OF
THE PARACHUTE CANOPY.
THE SONG IS SUNG BY THE STUDENT COMPANY
AT THE GRADUATION CEREMONY AS THE PARACHUTIST
WINGS ARE PINNED ON AFTER THE FIFTH QUALIFYING
JUMP.

Where learned: GEORGIA ; FORT BENNING

James Callow Keyword(s): INITIAL ITERATION (STANZA 3). ; MEDIAL ITERATION (STANZA 3).

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C-130

C-130 ROLLING DOWN THE STRIP.
AIRBORNE DADDY'S GONNA TAKE A LITTLE TRIP.
STAND-UP, HOOK-UP, SHUFFLE TO THE DOOR.
JUMP RIGHT OUT AND COUNT TO FOUR.
BUT IF MY MAIN DON'T OPEN WIDE.
I'VE GOT ANOTHER ONE BY MY SIDE.
AND IF THAT ONE SHOULD FAIL ME TOO.
LOOK OUT GROUND, I'M COMING THROUGH. MM
RUCKSACK, JUMP BOOTS, AND MY M-16.
THAT'S ALL THAT'S GOING ON THE JUMP WITH ME.
GONNA SLIP TO THE RIGHT, AND SLIP TO THE LEFT,
SLIP RIGHT ON DOWN TO THE PLF.
AND IF I DIE ON THE OLD DROP ZONE,
BOX ME UP AND SHIP ME HOME.
THEN TELL MY GIRL I DID MY BEST,
AND BURY ME IN THE LEANING REST. MM
DRESS ME UP IN MY DRESS BLUES,
SPIT-SHINED JUMP BOOTS, NO STRAIGHT LEG SHOES.
PIN MY WINGS UPON MY CHEST,
TELL MY MOM I DID MY BEST.
C-130 ROLLING DOWN THE STRIP.
SIXTY-FOUR RANGERS ON A ONE-WAY TRIP.
MISSION'S A SECRET, DESTINATION UNKNOWN.
THEY DON'T KNOW IF THEY'LL EVER COME HOME. MM
I'VE GOT 700 ROUNDS FOR MY M-16,
BAYONET SHARP, DISPOSITION MEAN.
RUSSIANS ARE WOOSIES, GONNA GET ME SOME.
SO LOOK OUT RUSSIA 'CAUSE HERE I COME.
COON SKIN AND AN ALLIGATOR HIDE,
MAKE A PAIR OF JUMP BOOTS, JUST MY SIZE.
TAKE 'EM OUTTA THE BOX, AND SLIP 'EM ON MY FEET.
A NEW PAIR OF JUMP BOOTS CAN'T BE BEAT.

Submitter comment: THIS IS A MARCHING CADENCE WHICH IS EXTREMELY
POPULAR AT ARMY TRAINING CAMPS. "C-130" IS A
LARGE, FOUR-ENGINED, PROPELLOR-DRIVEN CARGO
AIRCRAFT WHICH IS ALSO USED TO DROP A MAXIMUM OF
SIXTY-FOUR COMBAT-EQUIPPED PARACHUTISTS. "HOOK-
UP" MEANS ATTACHING THE STATIC LINE (WHICH PULLS
THE PARACHUTE OPEN AUTOMATICALLY UPON EXITING
THE AIRCRAFT) TO A CABLE RUNNING THE LENGTH OF
THE AIRCRAFT INTERIOR. "SHUFFLE TO THE DOOR"
REFERS TO A METHOD BY WHICH PARACHUTISTS MOVE
ABOUT INSIDE AN AIRCRAFT IN FLIGHT. IT INVOLVES
LIFTING ONE KNEE VERY HIGH AND ALTERNATELY
BRINGING THE OTHER LEG ALONGSIDE WHILE MOVING
TOWARD THE DOOR IN A STOMPING MOTION. THIS
WALKING ACTION MINIMIZES THE CHANCE OF STUMBLING
ON ANY PROTRUSION ALONG THE FLOOR OF THE AIRCRAFT.
"MAIN" INDICATES THE MAIN PARACHUTE WHICH IS
LOCATED ON THE JUMPER'S BACK. IN CASE OF
MALFUNCTION, THE PARACHUTIST HAS A RESERVE
CHUTE AT STOMACH LEVEL. "M-16" IS THE STANDARD-
ISSUE INFANTRY RIFLE. "SLIP" REFERS TO A METHOD
OF CONTROLLING THE LATERAL MOVEMENT OF THE
PARACHUTE DURING DESCENT. THE "PLF" IS THE
PARACHUTE LANDING FALL, I.E., A DRILLED METHOD OF
LANDING SAFELY BY MAKING FIVE POINTS OF BODY
CONTACT WITH THE GROUND IN SUCCESSION. "LEANING
REST" IS THE STARTING POSITION FOR THE FOUR
COUNT PUSHUP; A POPULAR EXERCISE DURING PARACHUTE
TRAINING. "STRAIGHT LEG SHOES" -- AIRBORNE
QUALIFIED PERSONNEL REFER TO NON-JUMPERS AS
"STRAIGHT LEGS." THE NAME IS CONSIDERED
DEROGATORY. IT REFERS TO THE STRAIGHT LINE
OF THEIR TROUSERS, AS AIRBORNE PERSONNEL WEAR
THEIR TROUSERS BLOUSED INSIDE THEIR BOOTS.

Where learned: KENTUCKY ; FORT KNOX

James Callow Keyword(s): APOSTROPHE TO THE GROUND (STANZA 1). ; BURIAL INSTRUCTIONS

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