Read aloud poem for the off season

Little Pumpkin Annie
by Kathie Morgan, with apologies to James Whitcomb Riley

Little Pumpkin Annies come to our patch to grow,
To take up all the garden space, and spend up all our dough
On nitrogen and steer manure and stuff that dont come cheap
An Daconil and Warrior T for pests that fly or creep.
An all the other growers when the summer is most done,
We set around at weigh-off an we has the mostest fun
A-listnin to the patch tales at we hadnt heerd about,
An the Punkins at gits you
	Ef you dont
		Watch
			Out!

Oncet they was a grower who wouldnt say his prayers 
An when he went online at night, away up all them stairs,
His wife, she heerd him holler, an his kids they heerd him bawl,
An when they oped his office door, he wasnt there at all!
An they seeked him in the rafter-rook, an the cubby at the latch,
An seeked him up the chimbly-flue, an finally in the patch.
An all they ever found was just his overalls and hat 
Spread-eagled on the scarecrow frame. I tell you, that was that.
So better mind yer manners and never try to boast
An say of all the punkins, you bet yours weighs the most,
Cause other folks as good as you might wonder and might doubt
An the Punkinsll git you
	Ef you dont
		Watch
			Out!

One time a heavy hitter he would allus laugh an grin,
An make sich fun of everone, even his friends an kin.
He mocked em an he shocked em, an he said he didnt care!
But oncet he dissed ol Howard Dill he didnt have a prayer -
The punkin growers turned on him, an when he turnt to hide,
They was two great big black things a-standin by his side,
An they snatched him off the mallorn list fore he knowed what hes
about!
An the Punkinsll git you
	Ef you dont
		Watch
			Out!

Our Little Punkin Annie says that when the blaze is blue,
An the lamp-wick sputters, an the wind goes woo-oo!
An you hear the squash vine borers quit, an when the moon is gray,
An all the cucumber beetles in yer patch is squenched away  
You better mind yer betters an Don Langevin fond an dear,
An cherish them at sends you seeds, an dry the newbies tear,
An send your seeds to them at asks, an never cry nor pout
Er the Punkinsll git you
	Ef you dont
		Watch
			Out!

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