The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

FLYLEAF-FRIENDSHIP:

IF YOU WERE A LADY,
AND I WAS A LORD
I'S RIDE YOU AROUND
IN MY LITTLE TIN FORD.

Submitter comment: FROM MY AUTOGRAPH BOOK. DATE 1939. MY GIRLFRIEND WROTE IN IT.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): RHYME: ABCB ; WISH

Date learned: 08-00-1964

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A BRILLIANT DEDUCTION

BUTTER IS BUTTER
CHEESE IS CHEESE,
WHAT IS A KISS
WITHOUT A SQUEEZE.

Data entry tech comment: TAKEN FROM INFORMANT'S AUTOGRAPH BOOK

Where learned: OVER THE TELEPHONE ; MICHIGAN, ASSUMED

Keyword(s): COURTSHIP ; FOOD ; RHYME: ABCB

James Callow Keyword(s): HUG

Date learned: 08-06-1964

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AUTOGRAPH BOOK VERSE

PIGS LIKE PUMPKIN
HOGS LIKE SQUASH
I LOVE YOU
I DO) BY GOSH)

Submitter comment: ENTRY DATED 05191931 IN ALBERTA LARABELL'S AUTOGRAPH BOOK IN DETROIT
1930-33

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): ANIMAL ; COMPARISON ; DECLARATION OF LOVE ; FOOD ; RHYME: ABCB

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AUTOGRAPH BOOK VERSE

LOVE IS LIKE AN ONION
WE TASTE IT WITH DELIGHT
BUT AFTER WHILE WE WONDER
WHAT EVER MADE US BITE.

Submitter comment: ENTRY DATED 11141930 IN ALBERTA LARABELL'S AUTOGRAPH BOOK IN DETROIT,
1930-33

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): FOOD ; OBSERVATION ; RHYME: ABCB ; RIDICULE OF LOVE ; SIMILE

James Callow Keyword(s): PESSIMISM

Date learned: 11-14-1930

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GOLDEN GATES TO HEAVEN
GOLDEN GATES TO HELL
DARN THE BOY WHO KISSES YOU
RUNS OFF AND TELLS.

Data entry tech comment: THE LAST LINE WOULD MAKE MORE SENSE IT IT WOULD READ :"THAT ;

Where learned: AUTOGRAPH BOOK ; DETROIT, ASSUMED ; MICHIGAN, ASSUMED

Keyword(s): COURTSHIP ; RHYME: ABCB

Date learned: 00-00-1935

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AUTOGRAPH VERSE

MY LOVE FOR YOU WILL NEVER FAIL
AS LONG AS PUSSY HAS HER TAIL.

Submitter comment: (1939 BIRCH TREE, MONTANA)

Data entry tech comment: THE COLLECTOR'S COMMENT IS WHERE THE AUTOGRAPH CAME FROM

Where learned: MONTANA ; BIRCH TREE

Keyword(s): ANIMAL ; DECLARATION OF LOVE ; PROMISE ; RHYME: AA

Date learned: 00-00-1939

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AUTOGRAPH BOOK JUNGLE

FLORIDA GROWS ORANGES.
CALIFORNIA DOES TOO
BUT IT TOOK OHIO
TO GROW A PEACH LIKE YOU.

Data entry tech comment: ANY STATE COULD BE SUBSTITUTED FOR OHIO.

Where learned: OHIO ; TOLEDO

Keyword(s): FOOD ; LOCATION ; PRAISE ; RHYME: ABCB

James Callow Keyword(s): NAMES OF STATES

Date learned: 10-27-1968

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WHEN YOU ARE OLD AT 68
DON'T LEAVE YOUR ONLY PLAYMATE.

Submitter comment: FROM JUDY OSGOOD IN MY AUTOGRAPH BOOK.

Data entry tech comment: THE TITLE "FLY LEAF VERSE" WAS WRITTEN, BUT CROSSED OUT.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; GROSSE POINTE

Keyword(s): ADVICE ; RHYMING COUPLET

James Callow Keyword(s): SLANT RHYME

Date learned: 00-00-1950

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AUTOGRAPH BOOK VERSE

APPLES IN THE CELLAR
PEACHES ON THE SHELF
I AM GETTING TIRED,
OF LIVING BY MYSELF.

Submitter comment: MISSOURI 1940

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): FOOD ; RHYME: ABCB ; UNHAPPINESS

Date learned: 00-00-1940

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AUTOGRAPH BOOK VERSE

THE SMALLER THE TREE
THE TIGHTER THE BARK
THE YOUNGER THE COUPLE
THE MORE THEY SPARK.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): COURTSHIP ; RHYME: ABCB

James Callow Keyword(s): SLANG: SPARKING FOR KISSING AND HUGGING

Date learned: 11-05-1967

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AUTOGRAPH BOOK VERSE

YOUR BLUE EYES MAY WATER
YOUR WHITE TEETH MAY GRIT
BUT YOU'RE ONE LOVELY
I WON'T FORGIT.

Data entry tech comment: THIS VERSE WAS FULL OF SPELLING ERRORS.

Keyword(s): RHYME: ABCB

James Callow Keyword(s): CRYING ; FORGET ; GRITTING OF TEETH

Date learned: 11-05-1967

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AUTOGRAPH

I LOVE YOU
I LOVE YOU
I LOVE YOU SWELL
IF I HAD A PEANUT
I'D GIVE YOU THE SHELL)

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT ; PALMER PARK

Keyword(s): FOOD ; HUMOROUS INSULT ; RHYME: ABCDC ; RIDICULE OF LOVE

James Callow Keyword(s): ITERATION

Date learned: 06-03-1959

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NAME VERSE

TABLES ARE ROUND
CHAIRS ARE SQUARE
YOU AND _____
MAKE A GOOD PAIR.

Submitter comment: THIS ITEM WAS WRITTEN IN THE AUTOGRAPH BOOK OF COLETTE BY A
SCHOOLMATE.

Data entry tech comment: ANY NAME CAL BE FILLED IN THE BLANK SPACE

Where learned: HARPER WOODS ; MICHIGAN, ASSUMED

Keyword(s): LOVE ; OBSERVATION ; RHYME: ABCB

Date learned: 10-08-1967

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AUTOGRAPH BOOK JINGLE

I LOVE, I LOVE YOU
I LOVE YOU I DO;
BUT DON'T GET EXCITED
I LOVE MONKEY'S T6O)

Where learned: OHIO ; TOLEDO

Keyword(s): FALSE LOVE ; HUMOROUS INSULT ; RHYME: AABA

Date learned: 10-27-1968

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AUTOGRAPH SIGNATURE

WHEN THE LEAVES OF YOUR ALBUM
ARE YELLOW WITH AGE,
AND THE NAME I WROTE ON THIS PAGE IS DIM,
STILL THINK OF ME KINDLY AND DO NOT FORGET,
THAT WHEREVER I AM,
I REMEMBER YOU YET.

Where learned: NORTH DAKOTA

Keyword(s): FRIENDSHIP ; INDIRECTION ; PROMISE OF REMEMBRANCE ; REMEMBRANCE ; SERIOUSNESS ; SINCERITY

James Callow Keyword(s): ADVICE ; INSTRUCTIONS ; METER: ANAPESTS ; METER: IAMBS ; RHYME:

Date learned: 00-00-1929

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AUTOGRAPH BOOK MATERIAL

THOUGH YOUR TASKS ARE MANY
AND YOUR REWARDS ARE FEW
REMEMBER THAT THE MIGHTY OAK
WAS ONCE A NUT LIKE YOU}

Submitter comment: ENTRY DATED MARCH 8, 1962

Where learned: AUTOGRAPH BOOK ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): HUMOR ; PUN: ON NUT ; QUATRAIN ; SIMILE: COMPARISON TO A NUT. ; SURPRISE ENDING

James Callow Keyword(s): ADVICE ; INSULT ; METER: ; SLANG--NUT ; UNREWARDED EFFORT

Date learned: 03-08-1962

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AUTOGRAPH BOOK VERSE

IF I WAS A LITTLE PIG,
ROOTING IN YOUR YARD,
AND YOU WERE A LITTLE DOG,
WOULD YOU BITE ME VERY HARD?

Submitter comment: MISSOURI, 1943

Data entry tech comment: PERIOD CHANGED TO QUESTION MARK.

Keyword(s): HUMOR ; QUATRAIN

James Callow Keyword(s): ANIMALS ; METER: TROCHEES ; NONSENSE ; THERIOMOROPHISM

Date learned: 00-00-1943

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VERSE

ROSES ARE RED
VIOLETS ARE BLACK
YOU WOULD LOOK BETTER
WITH A KNIFE IN YOUR BACK.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): ALLITERATION ; FLOWERS ; HOSTILITY ; INDIRECTION ; INSULT ; KNIVES ; METER: ANAPESTS ; METER: IAMBS ; METER: TROCHEES ; QUATRAIN ; RESENTMENT ; RHYME: ABCB ; THREAT

Date learned: 11-22-1968

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AUTOGRAPH ON FRIENDSHIP

IN CENTRAL PARK THERE IS A ROCK
AND ON IT SAYS FORGET-ME-NOT.
AND FARTHER ON THERE IS A TREE
AND ON IT'S CARVED REMEMBER ME.

Submitter comment: INFORMANT NOT AWARE OF NAME OR RESIDENCE OF MESSAGE WRITER.

Data entry tech comment: "ITS" CHANGED TO "IT'S"

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; CAMP METAMORA ; METAMORA

Keyword(s): "INDIRECTION" ; CENTRAL PARK ; CENTRAL PARK, NEW YORK ASSUMED ; COMMENT ON REMEMBRANCE ; INFORMATIVE ; METER: IAMBS ; QUATRAIN ; REMEMBRANCE ; RHYME: AABB ; RHYME: SLANT

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AUTOGRAPH BOOK VERSE

WHEN YOUR DAYS ON EARTH ARE ENDED,
AND THE PATH MO MORE YOU TROD,
MAY YOUR NAME IN GOLD BE WRITTEN
IN THE AUTOGRAPH OF GOD.

Submitter comment: LEARNED AT ST. LUKES'S SCHOOL, DETROIT, MICHIGAN

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): ASSONANCE ; DIVINE RECOGNITION ; HEAVENLY AFTERLIFE ; PIOUS ; QUATRAIN ; RELIGION ; SINCERITY ; WISH

James Callow Keyword(s): ANAPESTIC AND IAMBIC METER ; RHYME: ABCB

Date learned: 09-19-1967

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