Day 12: Favorite book of poetry

To be honest, I am not that much of  a poetry reader. I like poetry, sometimes I even write poetry (though not good poetry!), but I just don't really enjoy reading large amounts of it. So at first I panicked about who I could pick as my favorite poetry author, and then it hit me. Duh. I have been reading this poet since I had to have things read to me. My family LOVES the book

The Complete Works of James Whitcomb Riley

I do not have a picture of the book my family owns. It is the HUGE thick book with a tan cover with no picture on the cover. It is falling apart from being read so much and it is probably one of my favorite books in the world!! Since I could not find a picture of it (and b/c it is a boring book cover) I give you these two pictures of James Whitcomb Riley. One is a poetical works, and the second is him on a postage stamp! He is something of a hero to my mind, and obviously to the minds of many. Especially many in Indiana where he grew up, and where a lot of my family is from. There is a children's hospital in Indianapolis, Indiana called The James Whitcomb Riley Children's Hospital, and in almost every city in the state it seems there is at least a street named after him if not a park or something. Indiana people love James Whitcomb Riley and so do I!

Riley's poetry is often more story form, which I love and I can remember my Dad reading me these long storyish poems all through my childhood. There were SO many of them, but of course we had our favorites. One of them is the well-known (well more well known than most of his stuff anyway) Orphant Annie. As it is a shorter poem I felt obligated to share it with you...

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! 

 

My mom read this one to us all the time and we still periodically say to one another "the gobblins'll git you ef you don't watch out"! My most favorite poem is called The Bear Story and it is way to long to post but if you are interested go HERE to find it. I loved hearing my daddy talk like a little boy, and again we use phrases from this poem all the time ("ist 'tendin' thataway,'). I read the poem to my little brother when I was older and then I read it to my nephew when he was young and I have used it as a reading before. It is just SO much fun.




So for a challenge I was really worried about I sure wrote a lot!! :) I guess my answer is probably very different from most people, but James Whitcomb Riley will always be a favorite to me because of the memories I can associate with his poems.

 

 

Karissa is a poet and I am sure Her Favorite will be great today!