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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MILITARY CADENCE SONG

WOAH, WOAH, WOOAH, WOAH, WOAH, WOOAH.
WOAH, WOAH, WOOAH, WOAH, WOAH, WOOAH.
SGT., SGT., CAN'T YOU SEE?
THIS OL' DRILL IS KILLING ME.
SGT., SGT., CAN'T YOU SEE?
THIS OL' DRILL IS KILLING ME.
MISERY, MISERY.
MISERY, MISERY.
MISERY, MISERY.
THAT'S ALL THIS TRAINING MEANS TO ME

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; ROSEVILLE

James Callow Keyword(s): MILITARY TRAINING BASIC TRAINING ; SERGEANT SONG, LIKE CAPTAIN SONG

Date learned: 12-00-1974

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PROVERB

THE CAT IN GLOVES CATCHES NO MICE.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): ANIMAL ; ANTHROPOMORPHISM

James Callow Keyword(s): AGGRESIVENESS ; OBSERVATION ; RESTRAINTS ; RESTRICTIONS

Date learned: 11-21-1968

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RHYME

PEACHES, PEACHES/ MY NOSE ITCHES,/ SOMEONE'S COMING/
WITH A HOLE IN THEIR BRITCHES.

Where learned: TOLD AT INFORMANTS HOME

Keyword(s): FEMINE RHYME ; ITERATION ; RHYME:AABA ; STRAINED RHYME?

Date learned: 11-02-1969

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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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