Wednesday's Warrior~"And The Goblin's Will Getcha If You Don't Watch Out!"

     I love to hear ghost stories and love telling them, although I'm the biggest scardy cat around. When I was a kid, I still remember the cold, dark, autumn nights quite vividly. In the evenings, we sat by the warm fire, telling stories, listening to every creak and crack of the house, eyes wide open, half expecting some big monster to jump out and eat us where we stood. I recall my Auntie Helen reading this poem with such premeditated cold-blooded-ness, that it would curl our hair. We hung on every word. She spoke slowly and deliberately so that every one of them reached our little ears and scared us half to death! This poem, written by James Whitcomb Riley, encouraging children to obey their parents and teachers, help their loved ones, and care for the poor and disadvantaged, will make you think twice before closing your eyes tonite.

     And now that I have children of my own, I fully intend on carrying on my Auntie's tradition. I am not afraid. I am not afraid. I am not....*gulp*....afraid.

                                       LITTLE ORPHANT ANNIE

 by: James Whitcomb Riley (1849-1916)

 

To all the little children: -- The happy ones; and sad ones;

The sober and the silent ones; the boisterous and glad ones;

The good ones -- Yes, the good ones, too; and all the lovely bad ones.

 

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

If 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

If 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

If 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

If you

Don't

Watch

Out!