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To: MEG33

LITTLE ORPHANT ANNIE

by: James Whitcomb Riley (1849-1916)

INSCRIBED WITH ALL FAITH AND AFFECTION

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
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!


1,042 posted on 01/11/2009 10:02:26 AM PST by yorkie (The early bird gets the worm; the second mouse gets the cheese)
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To: MEG33; JustAmy; Billie; jaycee; Lady Jag; LUV W; All

Dang, I meant to ping everybody! (And I’m wondering what happened to the capitol “L” in the first line of the poem.)

Anyway, this is my most favorite poet ever! I have been to the home where he grew up, and even touched his little trundle bed.

I memorized this poem decades ago, and my grandkids beg me to tell them “one more time, Grammy!”


1,044 posted on 01/11/2009 10:07:54 AM PST by yorkie (The early bird gets the worm; the second mouse gets the cheese)
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To: yorkie

Shiver..I'll be good!..Promise..LOL
Thank you for this adorable poem, yorkie
Happy Lord's Day

1,045 posted on 01/11/2009 10:11:31 AM PST by MEG33 (God Bless Our Military)
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