It will soon be Halloween!
In keeping with the season, following is a reading of “Little Orphant Annie” — a poem written in 1855 by James Whitcomb Riley and published by Bowen-Merrill Company — by Fort Atkinson’s own Ron “RadioRon” Stelse.
According to online information, “Riley wrote the rhymes in ‘19th-century Hoosier dialect.’ As one of his most well known poems, it served as the inspiration for the comic strip ‘Little Orphan Annie,’ which inspired a broadway musical and several films, and many radio and television programs.
“The subject was inspired by Mary Alice ‘Allie’ Smith, an orphan living in the Riley home during her childhood.”
The poem introduces Annie as she shares stories, which she is telling to young children. The stories warn children about certain mishaps that may befall them is they misbehave. (There are goblins involved — spooky!)
Here, now, is RadioRon’s rendition of the “Little Orphant Annie.”
Ron “RadioRon” Stelse has worked within the radio industry for 45 years, including three years spent reading for the blind. He also worked with computers, from mainframes to PCs, and has taught a bit of tennis. He enjoys computer chess, watching public TV, tennis and working on audio projects. He has written over 600 poems and may surprise us, he said, by writing 600 more.
Leaves are falling, Halloween is on the horizon, then Thanksgiving, then Christmas. RadioRon is preparing for the holidays. He’s weighing his options, making selections, considering the ingredients of what’s in good taste, and he’s getting ready to read. His first selection is “Little Orphan Annie.” The poem was written by James Whitcomb Riley in 1855. It contains four stanzas. The first introduces Annie and those that follow are stories she is telling to young children. Each story tells of a bad child who is snatched away by goblins as a result of his or her misbehavior. We will be posting the audio soon. Ron’s new friend is eager to listen, in fact, he’s planning to gobble it right up!
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