Fall

Fall is coming. The trees were beginning to turn when I was in the northern part of the state earlier in the week. The temperature was in the thirties last night. Frost on the pumpkin and all comes to mind. Here is a lively verse to amuse you as the season comes around. I hate poetry, but I figure if Eric can give us Mr. Service I could offer up a little Riley for your amusement:

1 Little Orphant Annie's come to our house to stay,
2 An' wash the cups an' saucers up, an' brush the crumbs away,
3 An' shoo the chickens off the porch, an' dust the hearth, an' sweep,
4 An' make the fire, an' bake the bread, an' earn her board-an'-keep;
5 An' all us other childern, when the supper-things is done,
6 We set around the kitchen fire an' has the mostest fun
7 A-list'nin' to the witch-tales 'at Annie tells about,
8 An' the Gobble-uns 'at gits you
9 Ef you
10 Don't
11 Watch
12 Out!

13 Wunst they wuz a little boy wouldn't say his prayers, --
14 An' when he went to bed at night, away up-stairs,
15 His Mammy heerd him holler, an' his Daddy heerd him bawl,
16 An' when they turn't the kivvers down, he wuzn't there at all!
17 An' they seeked him in the rafter-room, an' cubby-hole, an' press,
18 An' seeked him up the chimbly-flue, an' ever'-wheres, I guess;
19 But all they ever found wuz thist his pants an' roundabout: --
20 An' the Gobble-uns 'll git you
21 Ef you
22 Don't
23 Watch
24 Out!

That out to help you get in the mood Dragon! At least until I am in charge.

The cool thing about this poem, if you read it out loud, is you can get a good idea of a true Hoosier accent, one that is slowly fading away as TV and movies and education does its best to destroy the regional accents of the nation.