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