The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

YOU SCREAM, I SCREAM,
WE ALL SCREAM FOR ICE CREAM.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): METER: IAMBIC ANAPESTIC ; REPETITION FOOD REFRAIN CACOGRAPHY ; RHYME: MASCULINE

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TOBACCO IS FILTHY WEED.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DEARBORN

Keyword(s): ADVICE OBSERVATION ; HUMOR METAPHOR OVERSTATEMENT ; KLOC, CHESTERINE ; QUATRAIN CHAIN ELLIPSIS ; RHYME: DOUBLE AABB

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DAN, DAN, THE FUNNY WEE MAN,
WASHED HIS FACE WITH A FRYING PAN.
COMBED HIS HAIR WITH THE LEG OF A CHAIR,
DAN, DAN, THE FUNNY WEE MAN.

Data entry tech comment: OLD DAN TUCKER?

Where learned: NOT GIVEN

Keyword(s): COMPARE "OLD DAN TUCKER" ; QUATRAIN NONSENSE ; RHYME: AABA

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O-I-C

I'M IN A 10 DER MOOD TODAY
AND FEEL POETIC 2
4 FUN I'LL JUST -- OFF A LINE
AND SEND IT OFF 2 U.

I'M SORRY U HAVE BEEN 6 SO LONG,
DON'T BE DISCONSOL8
BUT BEAR YOUR ILLS WITH 42DE
AND THEY WON'T SEEM SO GR8.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): DIGITAL SPELLING ILLNESS ; QUATRAIN RHYME: ABCB

Date learned: 00-00-1965

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(BLANK) IS A FRIEND OF MINE.
HE RESEMBLES FRANKENSTEIN.
WHEN HE DOES THE IRISH JIG,
HE LOOKS JUST LIKE PORKY PIG.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): INSULT DANCING ; PORKY PIG=WALT DISNEY CHARACTER IN MOVIES ; QUATRAIN RHYME: AABB

Date learned: NOT GIVEN

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MARY HAD A LITTLE LAMB,
THE DOCTOR WAS SURPRISED.
BUT WHEN OLD MAC DONALD HAD A FARM,
HE COULDN'T BELIEVE HIS EYES.

Submitter comment: UNDETERMINED ORIGIN.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; ROYAL OAK

Keyword(s): BIRTH ; NURSERY RHYME ; PARODY ; PUN QUATRAIN ; RHYME: ABAB

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MARY HAD A LITTLE LAMP
SHE FILLED IT WITH BENZINE.
SHE WENT TO LIGHT HER LITTLE LAMP,
AND HASN'T SINCE BENZINE (BEEN SEEN).

Where learned: RESIDENCE

Keyword(s): IAMBIC METER WORD PLAY ; PARODY NURSERY RHYME ; PUN ACCIDENTS GORE ; SURPRISE ENDING, NUTSHELL NARRATIVE QUATRAIN

Date learned: NOT GIVEN

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OLD KING COLE WAS A MERRY OLD SOUL,
A MERRY OLD SOUL WAS HE;
HE CALLED FOR HIS PIPE, AND HIS OPIUM BOWL,
AS WELL AS SOME L.S.D.

Where learned: COLORADO ; FORT LYON

Keyword(s): DRUGS ; PARODY, NURSERY RHYME QUATRAIN ; RHYME: ABAB CHIASMUS ; SURPRISE ENDING

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CHILDREN'S RHYME

JEREMIAH, PUFF THE FIRE,
PUFF, PUFF, PUFF.
FIRST, HE BLOWS IT GENTLY,
AND THEN HE BLOWS IT ROUGH.
JEREMIAH, PUFF THE FIRE.
PUFF, PUFF, PUFF.

Submitter comment: NO INFORMATION AS TO WHEN THIS WAS USUALLY RECITED.

Where learned: LETTER

Keyword(s): INCLUSION, SEXTET, CONTRAST ; INDIRECTION, CHARM, ADVICE ; METER: ROCHEE RHYME: ABCBAB ; ONOMATOPOEIA, REPETITION, REFRAIN ALLITERATION

Date learned: 11-06-1970

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A DRIVER'S NIGHT PRAYER

NOW I LAY ME DOWN TO SLEEP,/ I PARKED MY CAR ACROSS THE STREET.
AND IF IT ROLLS BEFORE I WAKE,/I PRAY THE LORD TO PULL THE BRAKE.

Submitter comment: TAKEN FROM INFORMANT'S AUTOGRAPH BOOK.

Where learned: NOT RECORDED BY COLLECTOR

Keyword(s): IMPERFECT RHYME ; QUATRAIN ACCIDENT AUTOMOBILE PARODY OF PRAYER ; RHYME: AABB

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VERSE AUTOGRAPH MATERIAL (COLLECTOR'S TITLE)

IF YOU FIND A FELLOW GOOD AND TRUE,/ HANG TO HIS COAT TAIL AND
STICK LIKE GLUE./ BUT IF YOU FIND YOUR HOLD MUST SLIP,/ GRAB
ANOTHER AND LET HIM RIP. MARTHA BORGMANN

Submitter comment: RECOPIED FROM AN OLDER AUTOGRAPH BOOK DATING AROUND 1850.
THE SELECTIONS FROM THE OLDER BOOK WERE ALSO COLLECTED IN INDIANA.

Where learned: AUTOGRAPH BOOK ; INDIANA ; BROOKVILLE

Keyword(s): ADVICE QUATRAIN ; RHYME: AABB

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LOOK NOT (COLLECTOR'S TITLE)

LOOK NOT FOR THE BEAUTY/ NOR WHITENESS OF THE SKIN.
BUT LOOK FOR THE HEART/ THAT IS LOYAL WITHIN.

FOR BEAUTY MAY FADE/ AND SKIN GROW OLD,
BUT THE HEART THAT IS LOYAL,/ WILL NEVER GROW OLD.

Submitter comment: LEARNED IN DETROIT.

Where learned: DETROIT

Keyword(s): ADVICE QUATRAIN ; METONYMY ; RHYME: ABCB

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GIFT OF FRIENDSHIP (COLLECTOR'S TITLE)

OF ALL THE GIFTS I'VE GIVEN MYSELF,/ MOST COMFORTING, TRIED AND TRUE.
THE ONE I OFTENEST THINK ABOUT,/ IS THE GIFT TO MYSELF OF YOU.

Submitter comment: A CLASSMATE HAD WRITTEN THIS IN INFORMANT'S AUTOGRAPH BOOK.

Data entry tech comment: COMMA ADDED IN THE PLACE OF A PERIOD.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; AUTOGRAPH BOOK ; FARMINGTON

Keyword(s): QUATRAIN ; RHYME: ABCB

Date learned: 00-00-1963

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MATRIMONY (CLASSIFIER'S TITLE)

WHEN FAR AWAY BY LOVE YOU ARE CARRIED,/ AND TO SOME LITTLE FELLER
MARRIED,/ REMEMBER ME FOR FRIENDSHIP SAKE,/ AND SEND ME A SLICE OF
WEDDING CAKE. LORRETTA MOSTER

Submitter comment: RECOPIED FROM AN OLDER AUTOGRAPH BOOK DATING AROUND 1850.
THE SELECTIONS FROM THE OLDER BOOK WERE ALSO COLLECTED IN INDIANA.

Where learned: AUTOGRAPH BOOK ; INDIANA ; BROOKVILLE

Keyword(s): FEMININE RHYME ; QUATRAIN LOVE RHYME ; RHYME: AABB

Date learned: 08-09-1960

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AUTOGRAPH BOOK MATERIAL (COLLECTOR'S TITLE)

WHEN THE GOLDEN SUN IS SETTING,/ AND ON EARTH NO MORE YOU TROD,
MAY YOUR NAME IN GOLD BE WRITTEN,/ IN THE ANNALS OF GOD.

Where learned: AUTOGRAPH BOOK

Keyword(s): DEATH HEAVEN ; METONYMY: NAME ; RELIGION QUATRAIN ; RHYME ABCB ; SALVATION

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UNDERTAKER (COLLECTOR'S TITLE)

ROSES ARE RED/ VIOLETS ARE BLUE
MY FATHER IS AN UNDERTAKER/ AND HE'LL GET YOU.

Where learned: SCRAPBOOK

Keyword(s): PARODY ; PLANTS FLOWERS ; QUATRAIN DEATH ; RHYME: ABCB

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VERSE AUTOGRAPH MATERIAL (COLLECTOR'S TITLE)

ROSES ARE RED,/ VIOLETS ARE BLUE/ WHEN I TAKE A SHOWER/ I THINK
OF YOU. DRIP, DRIP, DRIP SUSAN ADAMS

Where learned: AUTOGRAPH BOOK ; HOLY NAME GRADE SCHOOL

Keyword(s): INSULT SLANG ; PARODY ; QUATRAIN FUNCTION ; RHYME: ABCBD

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SCRIBBLING (COLLECTOR'S TITLE)

IF SCRIBBLING IN AUTOGRAPHS/ REMEMBRANCE ASSURES,
WITH THE GREATEST OF PLEASURE/ I'LL SCRIBBLE IN YOURS.

Submitter comment: TAKEN FROM INFORMANT'S EIGHTH GRADE AUTOGRAPH BOOK.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): QUATRAIN FRIENDSHIP ; RHYME: ABCB

Date learned: 00-00-1929

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AUTOGRAPH BOOK RHYME (COLLECTOR'S TITLE)

THEY SAY THAT LOVE IS SIN/ I NEVER ASKED THEM WHY
BUT IF I SIN BY LOVING YOU/ I'LL SIN UNTIL I DIE.

Where learned: DETROIT

Keyword(s): QUATRAIN LOVE ; RHYME: ABCB

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TULIPS (COLLECTOR'S TITLE)

TULIPS IN THE GARDEN/ TULIPS IN THE PARK
BUT THE TULIPS I LIKE BEST/ ARE THE TWO-LIPS IN THE DARK.

Submitter comment: UNTITLED AUTOGRAPH BOOK ASSEMBLED BY SHIRLEY POPPERT WITH
ENTRIES DATED JUNE, 1952

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): INDIRECTION ; PUN ; QUATRAIN FLOWERS KISSING ; RHYME: ABCB

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