Skipping and choosing rhymes remembered

I’ve been feeling ill so to cheer myself up I decided to recall the nonsense I used to jump rope to. Please feel free to share some of your own.

Skipping tunes

I don’t recall any special moves for this one.

Sailor, sailor do your duty
Here comes Miss American beauty.
She wiggles; who wobbles; she does the splits.
She wears her dresses clear up to her hips.

This one began by jumping on one leg, then two, then touching a hand to the ground, and then two. I think it went on from there, but I don’t recall how.

Donald Duck was a one legged, one legged, one legged duck.
Donald Duck was a two legged, two legged, two legged duck.
Donald Duck was a three legged, three legged, three legged duck.
Donald Duck was a four legged, four legged, four legged duck.

Clapping games

HabMoo does not like it when I sing this one all the way through. But sometimes the need just strikes and I have to obey the call. (These lines probably don’t even really go together except in my head.)

My boyfriend’s name is Tony.
He comes from the land of Baloney.
With 23 toes and a pickle for a nose.
This is how my story goes.

One night while I was walking
I saw my boyfriend talking
to a cute little girl with a strawberry curl
and this is what he said, said, said.

I L-O-V-E love you.
I K-I-S-S kiss you.
I K-I-S-S kiss you on your
F-A-C-E face face face.

My mother sent me to the store.
She told me not to stay.
But I fell in love with the grocery boy
and stayed ’til Christmas day, day, day.

My mother wanted peaches;
my mother wanted pears;
my boyfriend wanted 50 cents
and kissed me on the stair, stairs, stairs.

I gave him back his peaches;
I gave  him back his pears;
I gave him back his 50 cents
and kicked him down the stairs, stairs, stairs.

Then there was this one where we competed to see what kind of crazy descriptions and accompanying hand gestures we could come up with.

Have you ever, ever, ever in your short legged life
Seen a short legged turtle and his short legged wife?
No I’ve never, ever, ever in my short legged life
Seen a short legged turtle and his short legged wife.

Have you ever, ever, ever in your snot nosed life
Seen a snot nosed turtle, and his snot nosed wife?
No I’ve never, ever, ever in my snot nosed life
Seen a snot nosed turtle, and his snot nosed wife.

… long-legged; google-eyed, greasy-hair, etc.

Counting rhymes

Engine, engine number nine
going down Chicago line.
If the train goes off the track?
Do you want your money back?
Y-E-S spells yes and you are not it.

Everyone always wanted their money back.

Bubble gum, bubble gum in a dish.
How many pieces do you wish?

Count out the number and that person is it, or if you don’t like that result, add “My  mother told me to pick the very best one. And you are not it.”

Silly poems of my own

Silly poems are harder to write than you might expect. I’m having trouble with the rhythms. But I’m going to share anyway.

Skunks in love

They drink their lattes in perfect sync.
Drink by drink their cheeks turn pink.
Lost in each other; their love turns blind.
Neighbors point; they do not mind.
Neither notices the other’s stink.

Tea, jam and honey

Tea, jam and honey
What will you have?

   Tea, jam and honey?
   Why I’ll have them with toast.

Just tea, jam and honey.
It’s really better than most.
But to have it with bread
I’m afraid you’re mislead.

   Just tea, jam and honey
   I heard what you said.
   If that’s all that you serve?
   Man, you really have the nerve.

Tea, jam and honey.
Please to observe
how it sweetens the tongue,
its praises to be sung.

   Yes tea, jam and honey
   Maybe I’m just too young.
   Perhaps a cracker instead
   to use your sweet spread?

Just tea, jam and honey
What’s gone to your head?
A cracker is dusty and crumbly and dry.
I don’t feed the wasp or cockroach or fly!

   So tea, jam and honey
   I think I might cry.
   A pancake would be good.
   Or a bagel if I could.

Just tea, jam and honey.
Has your mind turned to wood?
Bagels are too round and pancakes are so flat.
What waste my condiments on something like that?

   Then tea, jam and honey, I finally agree.
   Yes, tea, jam and honey — with a spoon if you please.

Tea, jam and honey. I’m so glad that you see.
A spoon? I’ll have to get one. Pray lend me your keys.