The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

(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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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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POETRY

I HAD A BOTTLE OF BURGUNDY WINE./ WHICH MY TRUE LOVE DID NOT KNOW;
'TWAS THEN I POISONED MY DEAR LITTLE GIRL/DOWN UNDER THE BANKS BELOW.

I RAN MY SKIVER THROUGH HER/WHICH WAS A BLOODY KNIFE,/AND THREW HER
IN THE RIVER/ IT WAS A DREADFUL SIGHT.

Where learned: NOT RECORDED BY COLLECTOR

Keyword(s): QUATRAIN MURDER ; RHYME: ABCB

Date learned: NOT RECORDED BY THE COLLECTOR.

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I LOVE COFFEE

I LOVE COFFEE/ I LOVE TEA/ I LOVE THE BOYS/ AND THE BOYS LOVE ME.

Where learned: HOME

Keyword(s): QUATRAIN FIRST PERSON ; RHYME: ABCB

Date learned: 11-18-1968

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CHILDREN'S VERSE

I WOKE UP SUNDAY MORNING,
I LOOKED UPON THE WALL,
THE COOTIES AND THE BEDBUGS
WERE HAVING A GAME OF BALL.
THE SCORE WAS 6 TO NOTHING,
THE COOTIES WERE AHEAD.
THE BEDBUGS HIT A HOMERUN AND KNOCKED ME OUT OF BED.

Submitter comment: FROM THE CHILDREN OF HER NEIGHBORHOOD.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; GROSSE POINTE

Keyword(s): HANGOVER VISION ; INSECTS ; MARVELS ; QUATRAIN HUMOR NONSENSE ; RHYME: ABCB

Date learned: 00001964 SUMMER

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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

Date learned: NOT RECORDED BY THE COLLECTOR

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THE CHICKENS

SAID THE FIRST LITTLE CHICKEN/WITH A QUEER LITTLE SQUIRM,
"I WISH I COULD FIND/ A FAT LITTLE WORM."

SAID THE NEXT LITTLE CHICKEN,/ WITH AN OLD LITTLE SHRUG:
"I WISH I COULD FIND,/ A FAT LITTLE BUG."

SAID A THIRD LITTLE CHICKEN,/ WITH A FAINT LITTLE MOAN:
"I WISH I COULD FIND/ A WEE GRAVEL STONE."

"NOW SEE HERE," SAID THE MOTHER,/ FROM THE GREEN GARDEN PATCH,
"IF YOU WANT ANY BREAKFAST,/ JUST COME HERE AND ASK."

Submitter comment: DEMONSTRATE ACTIONS

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; FERNDALE

Keyword(s): CHAIN ; QUATRAIN FOOD ; RHYME: ABCB ; TALKING ANIMALS

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