My Ma

Thought my ma wuz awful mean

When she uster stan’ between

Me an’ runnin’ up the street

Where we young ‘uns uster meet

After supper, thire to play

Tag an’ ‘Hi spy’ every day.

When I’d slide down frum my cheer

Ma would say, “now looky here,

Fill yewr wood box ‘fore you go,

An’ the water pail,” an’ so

After ‘at wuz done she’d say

“I am awful tired today;

Help me with the dishes, then

You can go an’ play agen.”

Thought ‘twuz mean an’ wuzzn’t fair

When she wanted me to pare

Pertaters, or tend the cakes

So they wouldn’ burn. My sakes!

How I uster fight an’ squall

‘Cuz I hed to help at all.

‘Nen my ma would up an’ say

It would do me good some day.

Now I think my ma wuz wise,

An' I praise her to the skies.

When the baby’s cross an’ she,

She who works so hard for me,

Hez so many things to do,

An' is tired an’ nervous too,

I kin take a hold an’ set

On the table stuff an’ get

Supper ef it need be, now,

‘Cuz my ma she teached me how!

Dec. 11, ‘97

Ct. Valley Ad., Dec. 17, ‘97