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.
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!
I read the poem and thought it was great!I really liked it.My teacher introducted me to the book”Little Orphan Annie” then she introduced me to the poem,because we are learning about James Whitcombriley.The love the poem!!
I really likeed the poem! One thing i liked about the poem was some of the rimming words. I also liked when they kept saying ” The goblins will get you if you don’t watchout!” I really liked the poem Little Orphant Annie!
My sisiter and I used to pour over a child’s book of poetry when we were little. I loved this poem so much I chose it to recite in elementary school. Almost 40 years later, my son is being asked to do the same thing. He now recites the poem to me. I just smile ear to ear as I hear it. What a wonderful legacy.
In the third grade, I memorized Little Orphan Annie for a recitation contest..and won! It was my first big achievement! From then on,in my enthusiasm, I recited it at even a hint that someone wanted to hear it! I only quit when my teacher – having learned of my dramatic outbursts – suggested that I memorize another for the next contest!
I grew up in Indiana. My grandparents, aunt, and uncle were all very familiar with Riley, the “Hoosier Poet,” and “Little Orphant Annie” was one of my favorite requests when relatives read to me during visits. This poem still evokes cozy memories of sitting in a grown-up’s lap, in my grandfather’s leather reading chair. When I was 10, my family moved to a small town in North Carolina.The South in those days was a different world from where I had lived in Indiana. I was thrilled with a fifth grade poetry memory assignment–my teacher had us all learn Riley’s poem. The rural accent that is the “voice” of the poem was far easier to pronounce naturally once I listened to the accents of my fellow students. I have recited the pome fer many childern over the yeers, and ‘ey all seem as capturt by it as I wunst wuz.
This poem evokes such rich memories of my elementary school years and the teachers that introduced james whitcomb riley to us. This selection was always read for halloween along with “when the frost is on the punkin”. Thank God for the teachers at #87 in Indianapolis, IN, USA
I’m sure there has been at least one poetry contest where contestants were challenged to compose their own verse(s) to Little Orphant Annie. I read this to my 6th grade class and remembered a few lines from it. Now my granddaughters love to hear me recite it as a bedtime story (it’s really easy to memorize) and I’m sure they will pass it on to their children.
My mother entertained us with this poem. I read it to my children and their neighborhood friends. Today I searched it out to read to my college freshman English class — and to my grandchildren — it will be their Halloween gift this year!
I remember my teachers reading this poem to us back in grade school. I saw something the other day that said “the goblins will get you if you don’t watch out” and I thought about the poem from my grade school days (I am 48) and got on line and searched for it…..and found it…I have printed off a copy for me to have to read to my grandkids.
I was born in 1935 and as early as I can remember, my Mother frequently recited Little Orphant Annie to me. It wasn’t until I was an adult that I tried to find out where it came from. I am delighted to have a copy. The next poem about the little boy who never said his prayers, I memorized when I was four and my parents would have me recite it to all who came to our house. Wonderful memories. I shall now pass these poems on to my Grandchildren.
I work in a Nursing Home in Romford, Essex as an Activities Organizer. During one of our group sessions to my astonishment Ada Duke a wonderful lady of 95 years recited the first three verses of Little Orphant Annie (word perfect).I must admit I had never heard of this poem so was delighted when I found the web site. Apparently, Ada learned this poem when she was at primary school in Leeds, Yorkshire. She told me she thought there might have been a fourth verse but had never been taught it. When eight years of age she entered a competition at the local picture house and for several weeks won two shillings and sixpence for reciting this delightful poem. She proudly added that she used to run home as fast as she could to give the money to her mother who was very hard up at the time having several little ones to care for.
Riley Festival’s theme, this year, is “Little Orphant Annie”.. I am a Seamstress/Crafter.. I was doing research on this theme, because, I did not know that James W. Riley wrote this story… I found out that she is a real person.. I have been to her grave and today I found her house, that she lived in from the age of 16 years old…I am 43 years old and it just shows that you’re never too old to learn History.. Even my daughter, who is 10 yrs., is enjoying this research with me.. And, there is a lot more still to learn…!!!
I was born in 1940, and my older sister used to read this to me at bedtime. Oh, how I loved to hear it again and again! Recently I tried to read it to my grandkids, and they immediately got frightened and started to cry. I stopped the reading, being sorely disappointed in my own blood kin! What wimps! I wonder if the computer knowledge they have is a suitable replacement for such rich stories!? Oh, sigh. Now I just read it to myself, aloud, every now and again. I love it as much now as I did then.
My mother used to recite this poem to me and my younger sister. It is one of my fondest memories of my childhood.
I am 61 years old now My Mom passed away a little over a year ago. I have such fond memories of her telling this poem to me for so many years. She knew it by heart and sometimes I would want her attention, so I asked her to tell me the “Annie” poem again. She always did.
My grandma used to recite this poem by heart to me and all of her other grandchildren. I never knew who wrote it until I came to this website. Now I know….When I read it, I got tears in my eyes thinking of my wonderful grandmother and how long it has been since she has passed.
Like many of the postings here, I too, heard this poem when I was a child. We had a collection of Mr. Riley’s works and I remember lying in bed with my Mom while she read these to me. ALthough it’s not here, one of my favorites was “Nine Little Goblins” (if anyone has it I would be forever grateful of you could e-mail it to me). But, as a Hoosier who was the child of another Hoosier who grew up during the Depression, I can honestly say that James Whitcomb Riley had a very special place in our library. Although I no longer have the book, I can still feel mom’s fingers sneaking up my arm as she said “an’ the gobble-uns a gitcha ef ya’ don’t watch out!” Thanks for reminding me of something too wonderful for words!
Was watching an “alien abduction” movie when the words to this poem popped into my mind. My father used to recite it to me when I was little. I loved the scary imagery and the strange words. Daddy is gone now, but I can still hear his voice. Since he did it from memory, I had no idea who the author was. I’m so pleased to find it here so that I can share it with my grandchildren!
My co-worker told me that she read this poem to her children who are now grown and loved to to watch her daugher’s eye widen at “And the gobblins a Gitcha if you don’t watch out”! I’m happy that I found this and am able to print it out for her. I’m sure it will bring back many happy memories.
My mother knew this poem by heart and would always recite it, with the utmost feeling and expression, to all the young children any time we had a campfire to sit around. I managed to get a video tape recording of her reciting it at a family reunion before she passed away.