The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

SEE MY FINGER, SEE MY THUMB,
SEE MY FIST, YOU BETTER RUN.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): BULLY ; DIALECT ; ELLIPSIS, SURPRISE ENDING ; METER: ANAPESTIC ; MONOLOGUE UNDERSTATEMENT FIGHTING ; RHYME: MASCULINE ; THREAT

Date learned: NOT GIVEN

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SCARE

SEE MY FINGER, SEE MY THUMB,
SEE MY FIST, YOU BETTER RUN.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; GROSSE POINTE WOODS

Keyword(s): BULLY ; ELLIPSIS, SURPRISE ENDING ; METER: ANAPESTIC ; MONOLOGUE UNDERSTATEMENT DIALECT FIGHTING ; RHYME: MASCULINE ; THREAT

Date learned: NOT GIVEN

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SITTIN' BY THE ROADSIDE ON A SUMMER DAY,
CHATTING WITH MY MESS MATES, PASSING TIME AWAY,
LAYING IN THE SHADOW UNDERNEATH THE TREE,
GOODNESS, HOW DELICIOUS EATING GOOBER PEAS!

CHORUS: PEAS, PEAS, PEAS, PEAS,
GOODNESS HOW DELICIOUS EATING GOOBERPEAS!

Submitter comment: INFORMANT RECITED IT.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): FOOD ; FOOD, EATING ; GOOBERS=PEANUTS ; IT MAY ALSO BE SUNG. ; METER: IAMBIC, ANAPESTIC ; RHYME: AABB

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THE GRASS IS RIZ,
WHERE LAST YEAR'S
CARELESS DRIVER IS.

Submitter comment: WRITTEN IN PARISH BULLETIN.

James Callow comment: RDNeedsReview

Where learned: MICHIGAN

Keyword(s): ADVICE ; DEATH ; DRIVING ; METER: IAMBIC ; MONOLOGUE SLANG, DIALECT ; PUN ; RHYME: MASCULINE, ABCB

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TRUE FRIENDS ARE LIKE DIAMONDS--
PRECIOUS AND RARE.
FALSE ONES ARE LIKE LEAVES--
FOUND EVERYWHERE.

Submitter comment: THIS USED TO BE ONE OF MY PEN PALS (1957). THIS WAS
ONE OF HER CLEVER SAYINGS.

Data entry tech comment: OFTEN FOUND IN AUTOGRAPH BOOKS.

Where learned: Wyoming ; ROCK SPRINGS

Keyword(s): FRIENDSHIP JEWELS ; METER: TROCHAIC ; QUATRAIN FUNCTION AUTOGRAPH VERSE ; RHYME: MASCULINE, ABCB

James Callow Keyword(s): AUTUMN LEAVES SCATTERED EVERYWHERE--AMA BARR

Date learned: NOT GIVEN

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TWO'S A COUPLE,
THREE'S A CROWD,
FOUR ON THE SIDEWALK,
IS NEVER ALLOWED.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): METER: TROCHAIC ; REFRAIN NUMBERS ; RHYME: MASCULINE, ABCB ; VARIATION: FOUR'S TOO MANY, FIVE'S NOT ALLOWED.

Date learned: NOT GIVEN

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WE DON'T HAVE OUR BACKHOUSE ANYMORE,
THINGS ARE MIGHTY DIFFERENT THAN BEFORE.
ONCE I HAD TO GO IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT,
I WAS SUCH A LITTLE FELLOW, I DIDN'T FIT RIGHT.
I TIPPED THE DARN THING OVER AND GOD! WAS I A SIGHT!
WE DON'T HAVE OUR BACKHOUSE ANYMORE.

Submitter comment: MY DAD OFTEN RECITED THE FOLLOWING NURSERY RHYME TO
MY SISTERS AND ME WHEN WE WERE SAD. IT ALWAYS BROUGHT
A SMILE.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): ACCIDENT TOILET ; BACKHOUSE=PRIVY OUTHOUSE ; REPETITION SLANG HUMOR ; RHYME: MASCULINE, AABBBA ; UNDERSTATEMENT OBSERVATION

Date learned: NOT GIVEN

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WE MUST, WE MUST,
WE MUST IMPROVE THE BUST.
THE BIGGER THE BETTER,
THE TIGHTER THE SWEATER,
WE MUST IMPROVE THE BUST.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): ANATOMY ; BOSOM BREAST ; FUNCTION GROWING UP ; MONOLOGUE SLANG DIALECT ; REFRAIN, QUATRAIN? ; RHYME: FEMININE, INTERNAL ; RHYME: IMPERFECT, AABBA

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WHEN I'M DEAD AND IN MY GRAVE,
NO MORE WHISKEY SHALL I CRAVE,
FOR ON MY TOMBSTONE SHALL BE WROTE,
MANY A QUART'S WENT DOWN MY THROAT.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; GARDEN CITY

Keyword(s): DRINKING ; METER: ANAPESTIC DIMETER ; MONOLOGUE QUATRAIN EPITAPH EUPHEMISM ; POOR GRAMMAR ; RHYME: MASCULINE, AABB

Date learned: NOT GIVEN

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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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FLOWERS MAY WITHER,
SONGS MAY DIE,
SOME WILL FORGET YOU,
BUT NEVER WILL I...

Where learned: LOUISIANA ; BATON ROUGE

Keyword(s): AUTOGRAPH VERSE? ; RHYME: MASCULINE, ABCB ; SINCERITY INDIRECTION PLEDGE FRIENDSHIP

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THE MAIDEN

THERE ONCE WAS A MAIDEN SO FAIR,
HER BRIGHT BLUE EYES AND GOLDEN HAIR;
BUT HER LIFE WAS RUINED BY A TWIST OF FATE,
THE STORY'S AWFUL, I'M SAD TO RELATE.
YES, THE TALE IS TRUE, FOR I WOULD NOT LIE,
I HEARD IT ONE NIGHT WHILE I WAS STILL HIGH;
I HAVE WRITTEN IT JUST AS SHE TOLD IT TO ME,
AND THE PAIN HAS MADE ME SICK AS CAN BE.
"I LEFT HIM FLAT; FOR HE TREATED ME CRUEL;
FOR NOW I SEE THAT I WAS A FOOL,
HE'S UGLY AND DIRTY AND SMELLS LIKE A HORSE,
AND THAT'S WHY I DECIDED TO GET A DIVORCE."
"I WAS JUST TWENTY WHEN THE MESS DID START,
HE SAID HE WOULD LOVE ME TILL DEATH DO US PART;
LITTLE DID I KNOW THAT THE DAY WOULD SOON COME,
WHEN I WOULD GET WISE TO THAT NO-GOOD BUM.
"NOW I AM HAPPY AND FINALLY FREE,
TO THINK, DO, AND SAY WHAT I PLEASE;
SO FOR A LITTLE ADVICE BEFORE YOU MARRY,
BE SURE YOUR HUSBAND IS NOT BIG AND HAIRY."
"SO WHEN THE MAN OF YOUR DREAMS TURNS TO A FINK,
GET A DIVORCE OR MAKE A BIG STINK;
BUT IF YOU SEE HE'S NO GOOD FROM THE START,
DROP HIM FAST OR HE'LL BREAK YOUR HEART."

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): LAMENT ADVICE ; METER: IAMBIC TRIMETER ; RHYME: MASCULINE, AABB ; SIMILE INDIRECTION HUMOR MARRIAGE

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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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HERE LIES THE BODY OF SOLOMON PEASE.
UNDER THE DAISIES, UNDER THE TREES.
BUT PEASE ISN'T HERE, ONLY THE POD.
PEASE SHELLED OUT AND WENT HOME TO GOD.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): DEATH PUN ; EPITAPH RHYME: COUPLETS ; VEGETABLES: PEAS METAPHOR SLANG

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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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LITTLE FLY UPON THE WALL,
HIM AIN'T GOT NO HOME AT ALL.
HIM AIN'T GOT NO MAMA TO COMB HIS HAIR,
HIM DON'T CARE!
HIM GOT NO HAIR.

Submitter comment: LEARNED FROM NEIGHBORHOOD.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; OHIO ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): BABY-TALK

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POOR LITTLE FLY, SITTING ON THE WALL,
HIM AIN'T GOT NO FRIENDS AT ALL,
HIM GOT NO MOMMA TO COMB HIS HAIR.
HIM DON'T CARE, HIM GOT NO HAIR.

Submitter comment: VERSES WERE RECITED WITH A SAD TONE IN THE VOICE.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): BABY-TALK

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ONE LESS TEST

WHEN I SET MYSELF DOWN TO STUDY,
I PRAY THE LORD I DON'T GO NUTTY;
AND IF I DIE BEFORE I WAKE,
THAT'S ONE LESS TEST I'LL HAVE TO TAKE.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; BIRMINGHAM

Keyword(s): "NOW I LAY ME DOWN TO SLEEP" ; PARODY: PRAYER TO GUARDIAN ANGEL ; RHYME: AABB

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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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