Mah Tea Cake gone. 'E had rabies from dat nasty ole dog on de river. Ah had tah shoot 'im. 'E couldn't keep no watah down an' de Docatah said 'e was fixin' tah die. Ah begged fah a cure an' 'e said 'e would try an' find one, but mah Tea Cake died anyhow. Ah got sent tah court fah shootin' 'im, even tho shootin' 'im wuz de hardest thang I've evah did in mah life. Dey knowed it was tah save mah own life so Ah got outta jail wit no trouble. Ah buried 'im in Palm Beach. Took me some seeds tah 'member 'im by. Ah'm home now, an' Ah feel 'im all de time.
Janie Mae Woods
Translation (in today's vernacular):
My Tea Cake is gone. He had rabies from that nasty old dog on the river. I had to shoot him. he couldn't keep any water down and the Doctor saud he was going to die. I begged him for a cure and he said he would try and get one but he died anyway. I got sent to court for shooting him, even though shooting him was the hardest thing I've ever done in my life. They know it was to save my own life so I got out of jail with no trouble. I buried him in Palm Beach. I took some seeds to remember him by. I'm home now, and I feel him all the time.
Janie Mae Woods
Sunday, December 9, 2012
De Floods
Tea Cake hit me now. Not enuff tah really hurt me, tho, 'e juss leaves some marks sometimes. An' of, how 'e pamupuhs me aftah!'E is so gentle lak and kind tah me. Ah love 'im somethin' awful. Especially when Ah almost lost 'im. De lake ran ovah an' flooded de muck. Me an' Tea Cake wuz almost trapped fah good. 'E saved me from a crazy ole dog an' gotta nasty bit on 'is face. Ah'm right grateful fah mah Tea Cake.
Janie Mae Woods
Trabslation (in todays vernacular):
Tea Cake hits me now. Not enough to really hurt me, though, he just leaves some marks sometimes. And oh, how he pampers me after! He is so gentle and kind to me. I love him so much, Especially when I almost lost him. The lake ran over and flooded the muck. Me and Tea Cake were almost trapped for good. he saved me from a crazy old dog and got a nasty bite on his face. I'm very grateful for my Tea Cake.
Janie Mae Woods
Janie Mae Woods
Trabslation (in todays vernacular):
Tea Cake hits me now. Not enough to really hurt me, though, he just leaves some marks sometimes. And oh, how he pampers me after! He is so gentle and kind to me. I love him so much, Especially when I almost lost him. The lake ran over and flooded the muck. Me and Tea Cake were almost trapped for good. he saved me from a crazy old dog and got a nasty bite on his face. I'm very grateful for my Tea Cake.
Janie Mae Woods
Doubtin'
Tea Cake been gettin' teased by some ugly rough woman called Nunkie. She be playin' wit 'im an' flirtin' right hard wit 'im! It hurts mah heart. An' 'e came in de house tryna tell me dat 'e don't love huh none. Ah'm tryna believe 'im. 'E tole me Ah'ma kinda woman tah make a man forgit to git old an' die. An' Ah believ 'im now. Ah do. But Mis' Turner, some ole busy body woman down in de much wit us, tryna make me doubt 'im. Ah was afraid at first dat 'e would leave me but now Ah know Ah got tah trust mah Tea Cake. Tea Cake don't lak huh none anyway
Janie Mae Woods
Translation (in today's vernacular):
Tea Cake has been being teased by some ugly rough woman named Nunkie. She plays with him and is flirting very hard with him! It hurts my heart. And he came in the house trying to tell me he didn't love her at all. I'm trying to believe him. He told me I'm the kind of woman who makes a man forget to get old and die. And I believe him now. But Mrs. Turner, a nosy woman who lives in the much with us, is trying to make me doubt him. I was afraid at first that he would leave me but now I know I have to trust Tea Cake. Tea Cake doesn't like her at all anyway.
Janie Mae Woods
Janie Mae Woods
Translation (in today's vernacular):
Tea Cake has been being teased by some ugly rough woman named Nunkie. She plays with him and is flirting very hard with him! It hurts my heart. And he came in the house trying to tell me he didn't love her at all. I'm trying to believe him. He told me I'm the kind of woman who makes a man forget to get old and die. And I believe him now. But Mrs. Turner, a nosy woman who lives in the much with us, is trying to make me doubt him. I was afraid at first that he would leave me but now I know I have to trust Tea Cake. Tea Cake doesn't like her at all anyway.
Janie Mae Woods
Gettin' married...again
We got us married in Jacksonville. Both o' us in blue. This time Ah got it right. Ah know it. But aftah a while Tea Cake leff, an' Ah sho wuz worryin' bout 'im. An' 'e took all mah money! But 'e came back hurt, so Ah forgave 'im. 'E had $322 dollah in 'is pocket, and 'e had me put de $200 back where Ah had it. 'E said we gone live off 'is money, an' Ah agree wid 'im. We traveled on tah de muck down where everythang is flat an' got us some jobs. We happy, an' Ah know I done got it right dis time.
Janie MaeCrawford Hillicks Starks Woods
Translation (in today's vernacular):
We got married in Jacksonville. Both of us were in blue. This time I got it right. I know it. But after a while Tea Cake left, and I was worrying about him. Amd he took all my money! But he came back hurt, so I forgave him. He had $322 in his pocket, and he had me put the $200 back where I had it. he said we're going to live off his monwy, and I agree with him. We traveled to the much where everything is flat, and got jobs. We're happy, and I know I have gotten it right this time.
Janie MaeCrawford Hillicks Starks Woods
Janie Mae
Translation (in today's vernacular):
We got married in Jacksonville. Both of us were in blue. This time I got it right. I know it. But after a while Tea Cake left, and I was worrying about him. Amd he took all my money! But he came back hurt, so I forgave him. He had $322 in his pocket, and he had me put the $200 back where I had it. he said we're going to live off his monwy, and I agree with him. We traveled to the much where everything is flat, and got jobs. We're happy, and I know I have gotten it right this time.
Janie Mae
Begginin' Again
Ah wanna know mo' about dat Tea cake, but Ah's too ole an' 'e might be a fast tail lil boy. Ah was gonna be right cold tah 'im, but we got tah laffin' an' talkin', an' de next thang Ah know we eatin' pound cake an' drinkin' lemonade! Den de fool boy wanted tah go off an' fish! In de middle o' de night! So we had us some hot fish and co'n muffins too! An' he was ovah mah house talkin' bout mah lips, hair, and eyes so much Ah think 'e wish 'e had 'em! But now we's spendin' some time tagetha an' Ah aims tah run off wid 'im!
Janie Mae Starks
Translation (in today's vernacular):
I want to know more about that Tea Cakem but I'm too old and he might be a womanizer. I was going to be very cold to him, but we started laughing and talking and the next thing I know we're eating pound cake and drinking lemonade! Then the stupid boy wanted to go fishing! In the middle of the night! So we had some hot fish and corn muffins, too! And he was over my house talking about my lips, hair, and eyes so much I think he wish he had them! But now we're spending some time together and I am going to run off with him.
Janie Mae Starks
Janie Mae Starks
Translation (in today's vernacular):
I want to know more about that Tea Cakem but I'm too old and he might be a womanizer. I was going to be very cold to him, but we started laughing and talking and the next thing I know we're eating pound cake and drinking lemonade! Then the stupid boy wanted to go fishing! In the middle of the night! So we had some hot fish and corn muffins, too! And he was over my house talking about my lips, hair, and eyes so much I think he wish he had them! But now we're spending some time together and I am going to run off with him.
Janie Mae Starks
Meetin' Mist' Tea Cake
Ah went tah Jody's funeral. Ah wore mah mournin' clothes fah as long as mah greif lasted. Phoeby's tryna talk tah me about gettin' married again but Ah sho don't want tah. Ah'm enjoyin' mah freedom too much tah even be thankin' bout gettin' married tah some man. But ah met me a man tahday. 'Is name is Tea Cake, but 'is momma named 'im Vergible Woods. Tole me tah call 'im Mist' Woods if Ah wanted but it's be mighty nice if Ah called 'im Tea Cake. So dat's what Ah'mma call 'im. We played us some checkers, drank some Cola, and had a right lot o' fun. It seems lak Ah known 'im all mah life.
Janie Mae Starks
Translation (in today's vernacular):
I went to Jody's funeral. I wore my mourning clothes for as long as my grief lasted. Phoeby is trying to talk em into getting married again, but I sure don't want to. I'm enjoying my freedom too much to even be thinking about getting married to some man. But I met a man today. His name is Tea Cake, but his momma named him Vergible Woods. He told me to call him Mr. Woods if I wanted to but it would be nice if I called him Tea Cake. So that's what I'm going to call him. We played checkers, drank Cola, and had a lot of fun. It seems like I've known him all my life.
Janie Mae Starks
Janie Mae Starks
Translation (in today's vernacular):
I went to Jody's funeral. I wore my mourning clothes for as long as my grief lasted. Phoeby is trying to talk em into getting married again, but I sure don't want to. I'm enjoying my freedom too much to even be thinking about getting married to some man. But I met a man today. His name is Tea Cake, but his momma named him Vergible Woods. He told me to call him Mr. Woods if I wanted to but it would be nice if I called him Tea Cake. So that's what I'm going to call him. We played checkers, drank Cola, and had a lot of fun. It seems like I've known him all my life.
Janie Mae Starks
Change is comin'
Ah's got no fight leff fah Jody. 'E done took it all outta me. The fool man is sick an' 'e don't want me tah help 'im none. A lil fake ole doctah keeps on comin' round and de man talks real quiet lak when Ah come round near 'im an' Jody. Ah'd rathah be dead than have Jody thank Ah'd hurt 'im. But thangs juss aint de same. De last thangs we said tah each othah was in a fight. 'E don't know me, an' kept on tryna crowd out mah own feelin's tah make room fah 'is! But bein' such a big man been a right heavy burden on 'im. Fah dat Ah pity 'im. I sho do.
Janie Mae Starks
Translation (In today's vernacular):
I have no fight left in me for Jody. He has taken it all out of me. The stupid man is sick and he doesn't want me to help him at all. A fake doctor keeps on coming around and the man talks very quietly when I come around near him and Jody. I'd rather be dead than have Jody think I'd hurt him. But things just aren't the same. The last things we said to each other was ina fight. He doesn't know me, and kept on trying to crowd out ym own feelings to make room for his! But being such an important man has been a burden on him. For that I pity him. I sure do.
Janie Mae Starks
Janie Mae Starks
Translation (In today's vernacular):
I have no fight left in me for Jody. He has taken it all out of me. The stupid man is sick and he doesn't want me to help him at all. A fake doctor keeps on coming around and the man talks very quietly when I come around near him and Jody. I'd rather be dead than have Jody think I'd hurt him. But things just aren't the same. The last things we said to each other was ina fight. He doesn't know me, and kept on trying to crowd out ym own feelings to make room for his! But being such an important man has been a burden on him. For that I pity him. I sure do.
Janie Mae Starks
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