Tommie B. Holland - Uncle Remus in Rhythm and Rhyme

UNCLE
REMUS IN
RHYTHM AND RHYME Tommie B. Holland UNCLE REMUS IN RHYTHM AND RHYME Copyright 2016 William H. Holland. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. This is a work of fiction.

All of the characters, names, incidents, organizations, and dialogue in this novel are either the products of the authors imagination or are used fictitiously. iUniverse 1663 Liberty Drive Bloomington, IN 47403 www.iuniverse.com 1-800-Authors (1-800-288-4677) Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them. Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only. Certain stock imagery Thinkstock. date: 07/26/2016 TABLE OF CONTENTS This is a rededication of the Book, Uncle Remus in Rhythm and Rhyme to our mother Tommie Beatrice Holland. date: 07/26/2016 TABLE OF CONTENTS This is a rededication of the Book, Uncle Remus in Rhythm and Rhyme to our mother Tommie Beatrice Holland.

She achieved many major accolades and prestigious positions throughout her life. The family remembers her narrating, without a skip of the beat, many of the stories contained within this book. She also spoke lovingly of how her father (our Grandfather Henry Allen Laine) read the actual stories to his nine children, and this inspired her to create this poetic version. We all lovingly remember the readings, recitals, and marionette productions our mother performed. She not only created the poems, but also the physical marionettes themselves. Seeing each of them dangle from invisible strings made the stories come true in a way that can only be fully appreciated by being there.

She was able to balance her professional, religious, family, and creative lives in an extraordinary way. We can scarcely remember a holiday she was not singing at the piano (while playing of course), and laughing out loud if we forgot the words, or harmonized in a way she had not heard before. The good news is that we all inherited her musical talent, and our father (who she would call Richard) would boom his voice when a note was well in reach. God is also very important in all our lives, and the Uncle Remus in Rhythm and Rhyme is not just poems about animals. It is a set of old folklore stories that tell us how we should treat each other as human beings. How we should do unto others, as we would have them do unto to us.

We are certain that many of our values came not only by our parents example, but also by the stories we heard from childhood. As a note, all pictures were hand drawn by Tommie B. Holland. Just one of many of her many talents.. From all her children: Richetta Willis, Thomas Holland, William Holland, Muzetta Dunford, and Beatrice Holland I am very grateful to many persons who have encouraged me to write these poems. I am also grateful to those who have insisted that I get them in print for others to enjoy.

These persons are some of my fel- low teachers in Indiana, some of my pupils, and members of audiences where I have recited some of the poems found in this book. I dedicate this first book to my father, Henry Alien Laine, now deceased, whose book of poems, Foot Prints, and whose appreciation of the Uncle Remus Tales, inspired me to attempt this book, Uncle Remus in Rhythm and Rhyme. To Dr. Elizabeth Pilant, my instructor in American Folklore at Ball State University, I also dedicate these poems which she inspired me to write. To my husband, Richard, and my children,- Richetta, Thomas, William, Muzetta, and Beatrice, I further dedicate these lines. They made it possible for me to attend the classes in which I received inspi- ration to write, by keeping the home fires burning at home.

To my only brother, Kelly, and my living sisters; Mary, Helen, Sarah, Henrietta, and Clara, who share in the memories of my child- hood, I, too, dedicate these poems. Last, but not least, to my deceased mother, Mrs. Florence Laine, and my two deceased sisters,- Madeline and Anna, who played such a vital part in my education, as well as Brother Gilbert, my brother-in- law, I appreciatively and gratefully dedicate Mrs. Tommie B. Holland I can hardly wait for you to meet some of the best friends that I have ever known. I met them in my childhood, and have loved them through the years.

They are the kind of friends one never outgrows rather, they grow on you! I was introduced to these treasured friends by one of the most delightful persons of my lifetime. I am proud to say this, because this unusual person was my father, Henry Alien Laine; teacher, writer, speaker, and thinkerfar ahead of his times, and, most of all, an adult poet who knew the secret of entering into the hearts of children and becoming a child again while in the presence of children. How he loved Brer Rabbit, Brer Fox, Brer Bear, and the other animal characters of the Uncle Remus Tales found in this book! He read these stories to us just before the prayers were said; and as he chuckled while reading, we, his children, realized that these creatures were pure magic! They could transform a very serious and mature adult into a naughty, amusing boy with the turning of each page! Inside, you will find these creechers prancing naughtily and mischieviously around in UNCLE REMUS IN RHYTHM AND R HYME. I just know that you will love them too! Here he comes, I do believe! Ole Brer Rabbit and his many friends! Lets hurry and see what they are up to now! Ole Brer Fox wuz a sly ole soul; Some uv his tale will be lef untol. Tar Baby black ez black kin be; Brer Rabbit see im an, Talk! sezee. Ef yo don speak ahll bump yo head! Tried.

Got stuck in de tar insted. Talk, or ahll flatten out bofe yo cheeks! Tar Baby still, an he look so weak! Speak, or ahll learn yo not to be so meek! Tar Baby cant find a word ter speak. Bofe hans stuck ez he slap de face; Tar Baby stan in de same ole place. Now ahm gonna kick yo an make yo talk! Kicked ... an now hes afred ter walk! Brer Fox feel lak he sing a song: Come outa hidin an say, Whuts wrong? Brer Rabbit plead fer hiz life an cry, Briah patch a awful bad place ter die! Brer Fox sling im in de briars so fas Briars don tech im ez he whizzes pas. Brer Fox grew quite disgusted wid de way Brer Rabbit knew Each time he try ter kech him no matter whut he do! So one day Brer Fox wid some tar some turpentine did mix, An smile at how dis time he know Brer Rabbit he will fix! He make a creecher outa pitch. (Tar Baby wuz its name); An set m by de roadside ez Brer Rabbit by it came. (Tar Baby wuz its name); An set m by de roadside ez Brer Rabbit by it came.

Brer Fox lay low an smile inside; Brer Rabbit prance erlong; An when he see Tar Baby he burst forth wif sugah song; Good Mawnin. Sech fine weather, Sir! Brer Rabbit sez, sezee. Tar Baby aint say nothinBrer Fox jes wait ter see! How docs yo symptums, Sir, he say, seem ter segashuate? Tar Baby aint say nuthinBrer Fox jes set an wait How do yo come on? Is yo deff ? Brer Rabbit sez, sezee; Tar Baby silent an Brer Fox is tickled ez kin be! Yo stuck up, dat is what yo is! Brer Rabbit sez, sezee. Ahin jiwin ter cure yo righter way! (Brer Fox nigh bust wid glee!) Tar Baby silent ez a fist come boomin on hiz face; Brer Rabbits paw is stuck right dere! His shouts sho fill de place! Brer Fox lay low. Brer Rabbit scream. (Brer Fox lay low ez wid one foot Brer Rabbit kick in pain). (Brer Fox lay low ez wid one foot Brer Rabbit kick in pain).