Just a reminder that "Machine Poetry.--Oh Ladies All!" is found in Phil Rice's banjo instructor, published 1858. This predates Ms. Allerton's verses. Another titled simply, "Machine Poetry" by no less than Frank Converse, also appears the 1858 instructor. I have found no such "Machine Poetry" in any other 1800s banjo instructors. This version has no chorus. There is a melody line that accompanies the verses through the fourth line. The fifth line has but one note assigned to it suggesting that it is spooled out with no particular beat, just a run-on note. Below are the words as they appear in the instructor, more or less. If you wish to make some sense of it, replicas of the instructor should still be available through Elderly Instruments of Lansing, MI or found through Interlibrary loan. Adios, Rex
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Machine Poetry - Arranged by F. B. Converse
from Phil Rice's Banjo Instructor, 1858

De way dey bake de hoe cake,
Virginny neber tire,
Slap de cake upon de foot,
And stick em in de--stove-pipe
and keep it dere till it's done brown.

De monkey climbed a tree,
   When he got to the top
He says to himself,
I guess I'd better--turn
right round and come down agin.

Wake up skillet tar on de heel,
Tar on de heel,
Go away colored man,
Or I'll skin you like--one of
dem long slickery fish dat looks like
      a black snake

Nigga cotched a woodchuck,
He eat him in a minute,
He eat him up so quick,
Dat he didn't have time to--take
      de hide of de animile.