When Rocks and Hills Divide Us

DESCRIPTION: "When rocks and hills divide us, And you no more I see, Remember it was (Dennis), That wrote these lines for thee." "When the hills and plains depart (?) us, And my face you cannot see... Will you not stop to think of me."
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1891 (Sackett/Koch-KansasFolklore)
KEYWORDS: separation nonballad
FOUND IN: US(MW)
REFERENCES (1 citation):
Sackett/Koch-KansasFolklore, p. 134, "(When rocks and hills divide us)" (1 short text, probably related to the following item, "When hills and plains depart us")
Roud #4392?
NOTES [103 words]: This appeared in the autograph book of Laura Day in 1891. This might hint that it is not traditional. But the Day version appears to have been corrupted by oral tradition; it gives the last line as "That wrote these words for you" rather than "...for thee." That's obviously more typical of modern English, but it ruins the rhyme.
The "Will you not stop to think of me" lyric may have inspired quite a few other items, e.g. "Darling, I Have Come to Tell You (Farewell Nellie, Little Bunch of Roses, Many Miles Apart, Don't This Road Look Rough and Rocky)" and the Hank Williams "Won't You Sometimes Think of Me." - RBW
Last updated in version 4.5
File: SaKo134A

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