- I loves this ole' poem by John Whitcomb Riley.
Aunty Belle 's so I 'se shure ya'll woan have a bit of trouble.
When I'se growin up, we had an ole Mammy type who recited this to us when we warn't behavin' the way we should. Fer years I worriet that the "goblin'sll git'cah if ya doan watch out!!
It sure be seasonal...an' ya'll be checkin' in on the Porch fer more seasonal ditties as the days go by.
- INSCRIBED WITH ALL FAITH AND AFFECTION
ITTLE Orphant Annie's come to our house to stay, - An' wash the cups an' saucers up, an' brush the crumbs away,
- An' shoo the chickens off the porch, an' dust the hearth, an' sweep,
- An' make the fire, an' bake the bread, an' earn her board-an'-keep;
- An' all us other childern, when the supper-things is done,
- We set around the kitchen fire an' has the mostest fun
- A-list'nin' to the witch-tales 'at Annie tells about,
- An' the Gobble-uns 'at gits you
- Ef you
- Don't
- Watch
- Out!
-
- Wunst they wuz a little boy wouldn't say his prayers,--
- An' when he went to bed at night, away up-stairs,
- His Mammy heerd him holler, an' his Daddy heerd him bawl,
- An' when they turn't the kivvers down, he wuzn't there at all!
- An' they seeked him in the rafter-room, an' cubby-hole, an' press,
- An' seeked him up the chimbly-flue, an' ever'-wheres, I guess;
- But all they ever found wuz thist his pants an' roundabout:--
- An' the Gobble-uns 'll git you
- Ef you
- Don't
- Watch
- Out!
-
- An' one time a little girl 'ud allus laugh an' grin,
- An' make fun of ever' one, an' all her blood-an'-kin;
- An' wunst, when they was "company," an' ole folks wuz there,
- She mocked 'em an' shocked 'em, an' said she didn't care!
- An' thist as she kicked her heels, an' turn't to run an' hide,
- They wuz two great big Black Things a-standin' by her side,
- An' they snatched her through the ceilin' 'fore she knowed what she's about!
- An' the Gobble-uns 'll git you
- Ef you
- Don't
- Watch
- Out!
-
- An' little Orphant Annie says, when the blaze is blue,
- An' the lamp-wick sputters, an' the wind goes woo-oo!
- An' you hear the crickets quit, an' the moon is gray,
- An' the lightnin'-bugs in dew is all squenched away,--
- You better mind yer parunts, an' yer teachurs fond an' dear,
- An' churish them 'at loves you, an' dry the orphant's tear,
- An' he'p the pore an' needy ones 'at clusters all about,
- Er the Gobble-uns 'll git you
- Ef you
- Don't
- Watch
- Out!
8 comments:
Oh Wow. My Mother used to read this to us and I haven't thought of it in YEARS. But I was momentarily transported back and could hear her voice as I read this. I was so scared of the Goblins and Boogeyman thanks to his poem - now it reads differently, but still.....
thanks. xoxo
I have a little something for you here. 8-]
I've never heard this before Aunty but I sure am pleased I read it for the first time as a grown up. I would have been scared out of my wits if I heard that as a child. As it was i checked the closet and under the bed every night for the boogeyman. I wouldn't have wanted to watch out for the goblins too :)
ive never heard this! its perfect. funny accent -yes. then again i just watched an atlanta "housewife" call jewelry "jury" all night. grrheherhahaha
booooooooooo
*wind and branches scratching on the window*
He A.B.!!
Ain't it great?? Seems to me we's privileged to have been read to by folks who knowed and loved poetry! This thang used ter make me shivvvvvver!!
I'se comin' Sophiemae!
Hey Gypsy Lady! THanky fer readin' it--I think more wee ones need to know that good deeds ward off the bad thangs that lurk under yore bed. Heh.
K9! Howdy dawg. Heh--would love ya to illustrate this one...whoo hoo!
Check BACK Porch, pup. Read and wretch exercise.
A Teacher at Troll County Christian Kindergarten used to read the verses and then signal the kids to read the "Goblins will get ya" part altogether while she switched off the lights.
So, we'd all be saying "The Goblins will get ya if" until there was a blood-curdling scream of terror.
Then she'd switch the lights back on and innocently say " Where's little Johnny Jones? I wonder if the goblins got him".
It made the story more dramatic. Although I'm sure Johnny Jones is in therapy to this day.
these are perfect. i was not familiar with them at all.
Aunty Belle,
What a great post to share! I know this poetry too! With my oh so visual mind the words were transformend into images which terrified me until I got a bit older and we chanted this poetry out in rhythm as we jumped rope. Then, for me, it just became another seasonal jump roping rhyme and not the terrorizing images of before. Better than Aesop on the learn your lessons front!
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