Mah Jody be a mayuh now. When we got up in dat town uh Eatonville, dey didn't have no mayuh, an' so mah Jody held 'imself a meetin', an' told de peoples o' Eatonville dat 'e was aimin' to build a post office an' a sto' up in de town, an' 'e bought 200 acres o' land fah de whole town, an' befo' it was only 50 acres. Aftah everythang wuz all set up, Tayluh proposed de idea o' mah Jody bein' de town mayuh, an' everyone juss went along wid it! Ah was mighty proud o' mah new husband. But Ah wuz gonna make me a speech as de new Mayuh's wife, an' Jody didn't let me! But, Ah juss let it go, cuz Ah don't wanna start nothin' wid 'im aftah all 'e done. Den he went an' got de town a big ole street lamp, an' 'e had a big ole ceremony, but 'e sho didn't let me come! Jody is classin' me off, an' Ah juss don't like it. Ah aint got no real women tah talk tah. Jody keeps on buyin' me all dese fancy thangs,  like flowery spittin' pots an' the like, an' Ah don't thank de people in de town lak it too much. But aint nobody evah challengin' Jody, so Ah don't rightly know how dey feel bout all dis. Jody has me runnin' de sto', an' Ah don't lak it at all. An' tah top it all off, 'e makes me wear a head scarf everyday an' covah mah hair! An' ah lak mah hair, its rite nice! An' when de people are out an' talkin' bout the town mule an' thangs dat dey lak tah talk bout everyday, 'e gits right mad when Ah try an' join 'em. 'E bought dat ole mule fah 5 dollahs, an' when de thang died, the whole town, all 'cept fah me, went tah de funeral! An' lak always, Jody made me mind de sto'. Dat man dont nevah let me have no kinda fun!Tole me not tah mess around wid de trashy folks. Ah aint got no one tah talk tah! An' Jody was callin' me incompetent an' such when Ah didn't find some pig's feet fah some lady. But Ah didn't say nothin' back. Ah'm juss quiet now. But mo' offen den not Ah juss don't feel de same bout Jody as Ah used tah. We aint intimate no mo', an' Ah juss don't love 'im the way Ah once did. De man even hits me. Aftah a dinnah party didn't go so good, 'e juss reached out an' slapped me. Thangs is changin' now.
Janie Mae Starks



Translation (in today's vernacular):

My Jody is a mayor now. When we arrived in the town Eatonville, they didn't have a mayor, so my Jody held a meeting and told the people of Eatonville that he was going to build a post office and a store in the town, and he bought 200 acres of land for the whole town, and before it was only 50 acres. After everything was all set up, Taylor proposed the idea of Jody being mayor, and everyone just went along with it! I was very proud of my new husband. But I was going to make a speech as the new Mayor's new wife, and Jody didn't let me! But I let just let it go, because I don't want to start anything with him after all he's done. Then he got the town a big street lamp, and he had a big ceremony, but he didn't let me come! Jody is classing me off, and I don't like it. I don't have any real women to talk to. Jody keeps buying me all these fancy things, like flowery spitting pots and things of that nature, and I don't think the people in town like it too much. But no one ever challenges Jody, so I don't really know how they feel about all this. Jody has me running the store, and I don't like it at all. And to top it all off, he makes me wear a head scarf everyday to cover my hair! And I like my hair, it's very nice! And when people are out talking about the town mule and things that they talk about everyday, he gets very mad when I try and join them. He bought that old mule for 5 dollars, and when the thing died, the whole town, except for me, went to the funeral! And like always, Jody made me mind the store. That man doesn't ever let me have any kind of fun! And Jody was calling me incompetent and such when I couldn't find some pig's feet for some lady. But I didn't say anything back. I'm just quiet now. I more often than not I just don't feel the same about Jody as I used to. We aren't intimate anymore, and I just don't love him the way I once did. The man even hits me. After a dinner party didn't go so well, he just reached out and slapped me. Things are changing now.

Janie Mae Starks

Marry one; an' den anotha.

Ah married 'im. Ah married dat ugly Mist' Hillicks, an' Ah wish Ah didn't. 'E is right mean an' don't luv me none, Ah kin tell. We married an' it was right beautiful, though. Nanny an' huh friends wuz cookin' an' we had a good 3 cakes an' a right big lot o' chicken an' rabbit. It was gud, an' Ah took it as uh good sign fah mah marriage but Ah was wrong. Marraiage sho don't make no love. An' mah Nanny is dead an' gone. I sho do miss huh. But Ah  juss don't love Logan none. Ah sho wish Ah did, then Ah'd feel bettah, but Ah don't. Dat's why Ah'm goin' off wid mah Jody. Tole me tah call 'im dat, 'e did. When Ah axed Logan what wud 'e wud do if Ah got up an' leff 'im, 'e juss hollad at me an' tole me wouldn't nobody want me an' whoevah did wuz juss lyin' tah mah face. It don't even make me sad, though. Ah nevah loved 'im, an' all dat 'e hollad at me fah caint be changed, so Ah won't even waste no time thinkin' on it. Ah met Jody out on de cornah an' he picked me up in a hired rig, an' we got ourselves married in some new clothes! Love don't equal marriage, and marriage don't equal love, but Ah sho do think dat wid Jody Ah can get me both!

Janie Mae Crawford Hillicks Starks!


Translation (In today's vernacular)

I married him. I married that ugly Mister Hillicksm and I wish I didn't. He is very mean, and doesn't love me at all, I can tell. We married and it was very beautiful, though. Nanny and her friends were cooking and we had 3 cakes and a lot of chicken and rabbit. It was good, and I took it as a good sign for my marriage, but I was wrong. Marriage sure doesn't equal love. And my Nanny is dead and gone. I sure do miss her. But I just don't love Logan at all. I sure wish I did, then I'd feel better, but I don't. That's why I'm going off with my Jody. He told me to call him that, he did. When I asked Logan what he would do if I left him, he just yelled at me and told me no one would want me, and whoever did was just lying to my face. It dosn't even make me sad, though. I never loved him anyway, and all that he yelled at me for can't be changed, so I won't even watse any time thinking about it. I met Jody out on the corner and he picked me up in a hired rig, and we married in new clothes! Love doesn't ewual marriage, and marraige doesn't equal love, but I sure do think that with Jody I can have both!

Janie Mae Crawford Hillicks Starks!

Back to de beginnin', tellin' mah story

 Nanny is fixin'  tuh die an' tole me she had tuh git me married right quick so Ah cud git mahself a gud man tuh take gud care uh me.  So Ah will. Ah am marryin' Mist' Logan Hillicks soon. Fo' Nanny gone an' dies, she wanna see me married off, really see it, wid huh own two eyes.She saw Johnny Taylor an' me kissin' undah de pear tree amongst de flowahs an' thangs, an' got it in huh head tuh do it. Ah don't want mah Nanny dyin' wid a heavy heart so Ah'mma do it, an' Ah'll fall in love wid Mist' Hillicks, juss wait. Ah will. Ah will. Nanny don't want me tuh be like mah momma, an' waste mah life cuz mah momma went off drankin' an' nevah came back. An' aftah all de sac'fices mah Nanny done went an' made, Ah cain't just gone off an' do wat eveah Ah feel lak doin'. So, Ah'll marry Mist' Hillicks an' start mah life.

Janie Mae Crawford (Soon tah be Hillicks)






Translation (In today's vernacular):

Nanny is going to die, and she told me she had to have me married quickly so I can get a goos man to take good care of me. So I will. I am marrying Mister Logan Hillicks soon. Before Nanny dies, she wants to see me marry, really see it, with her own two eyes. She saw Johnny Taylor and I kissing under the pear tree and got the idea. I don't want my Nanny dying with a heavy heart, so I will do it, and I'll fall in love with Mister Hillicks, just wait. I will. I will. Nanny doesn't want me to be like my mother and waste my life because my mother went off drinking and never came back. And after all the sacrifices Nanny has made, I just can't do whatever I feel like doing. So I'll marry Mister Hillicks and start my life.

Janie Mae Crawford (Soon to be Hillicks)