FREE eBook on Halloween, My Favorite Halloween Poem: Little Orphant Annie by James Whitcomb Riley

Hello and Welcome to the J.Q. Rose blog!

Deadly Undertaking by J.Q. Rose

A handsome detective, a shadow man, 
and a murder victim 

kill Lauren’s plan for a simple life.

I have a delightful, non-fattening treat for you on October 31, Halloween! My romantic suspense, Deadly Undertaking, is FREE on Amazon! Grab your copy before you head out to your Halloween party or play those tricks--like turning over outhouses! My publisher, Books We Love, believes this e-book is the perfect read for the holiday because the setting is the Staab-Blood Funeral Home haunted by a shadow man, Henry. 

BUY LINKS:

AmazonUS  

AmazonCA 

Amazon UK 

At this special time of the year, I'm also sharing my favorite Halloween poem below.
Little Orphant Annie by James Whitcomb Riley. BOO!!

Happy Halloween from J.Q. Rose

I loved reading this to my third grade class every year. You know how experts tell us not to write too much dialect in our stories? I guess in the 1800's Riley didn't care. The language makes the poem, I'd say. But what's even more fun is to read it out loud. Your tongue needs to twist and turn to negotiate through the words, so read it a few times to train it. Try it. Can you do it without laughing? Enjoy!

 Little Orphant Annie by James Whitcomb Riley
Poem found at All Poetry Website

.  Little 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!

First Publication Date: Indianapolis Journal (Nov. 15, 1885), originally published as The Elf Child.

The period of the first line, is placed there, so that the first line can coincide with the rest of the piece.  © by owner. provided at no charge for educational purposes

Have a safe and Happy Halloween!! from J.Q. Rose

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