Memories of Josh, in: The Poet (#35 Episode)
Memories of Old Josh
((Born 1805, died 1905) (Series Four))
Index
(New episodes)
Old Joshin, the Poet
Episode: #35
Old Josh in: Alligator Moonshine
Episode: #:36
Old Josh in: The Dugout Canoe
Episode: 37
Old Josh in: Centipedes
Episode: #38
Old Josh, in:
The Hanging of Amos, of Stone Bridge
Episode: #39
—Forward
A while back I wrote three dozen sketches called “Old Josh”, and got a lot of respectful feedback, liking the series. The story takes place in the 1800s Old Josh was born b, up between 1805 to 1810, nobody really knows, because nobody kept records of black folks back then, he died around 1905, so the records say, but still others say it was 1910, we shall go along with 1805 to 1905, for the record here. He had two sons, the youngest is Jordon, 1837 or ’39, was his birth, he died in 1920, and his older brother, Silas, was born around 1833, died I hear in 1913.Everything is conjecture thought, as I mentioned, records were hard kept, and messy.
Old Josh, was taken out of New Orleans, during a great flood, he told his boys he was about seven to nine years old, perhaps even ten, when Mr. Hightower, a white plantation, farmer from him, and took him to Ozark, Alabama, his mother whom had perished in the flood, being the main reason. Thus, he is raised on the plantation, where he lives and dies, and in-between like all of us, has some good and bad times.
The 34-sketches, which started with seven, and went to fourteen, through out the past four years, about ten sketches a year, is turning into a novel of sorts. Now we have in 2008, several more, it should reach 40 to 45 sketches in all; but who knows. In addition, we have three prior series, the first “Old Josh, of Ozark,” then, “Old Josh, in Pure Nigger,” and the third, “Old Josh, in: The Plantation.” Now we have the forth, “Memories of Old Josh.”
In no way are these series trying to insult, or degrade the black race, rather, to introduce to the new generation, and perhaps to some of the old generation, the generation long lost, a if not a language in itself, lost. I learned, and lived in Ozark, Alabama, in the back of shantytown areas, in l977 to 1980, (some 30-years ago). The language is very distinct, and perhaps is embedded in the soil, of long ago, longer than they cared to tell me. It is the English language, adapted here, meaning, a dialect if you don’t mind, but sounds a bit different, or will once you read the stories. Although in this series, the stories will mostly be narrated by me, whereas, it was more of a dialogue in the past series. The second series, “Pure Nigger,” was picked up by over 50-sites, and the first and third series, perhaps by more, or less, I’m not sure, but the first seven was picked up by more internet sites than the other two, perhaps 60-sites, so the Old Josh has been read in the last four years by thousands of readers, I have at present about two-million years a year on all my 2300-writtings, world wide, on about 400-internet sites, about 150,000-readers a month. And Old Josh seems to be ahead or equal with any of my writings.
Back to the language of that area: you may find that several sounds in the same sentence seem familiar, don’t look for rules. If this offends you, then don’t go beyond this; the language is almost a chant here, as I remember it, and took notes on it, in which recently I re-found in my library.
Living in Alabama in the ‘70s, in an area I did, and talking to the folks by the cemetery, they were of an unusually breed, in that, they themselves were of an unusually high type. Some had white and Indian blood in them, you could tell. Here are some new sketches, some done in the same format.
Memories of
Old Josh, in: the Poet
((in: Memories of Old Josh) (forth Series; episode #35))
Advance: Josh was about 27-years old when Silas, the oldest child was born, and old doc, Doctor Benjamin Lee Ssumsky (last name being his family’s name, whom came from Australia in the 1795, he was born 1796), and was the doctor who spanked both Silas and Jordon on the butt, he said “To wake them up” (old doc, Benjamin, died in 1869, so folks say, at the ripe old age of 73).
Jordon a few yeas younger than Silas, neither child ever knew there age, not event Old Josh, he and his brother inherited a plot of land, Mr. Charles Hightower’s land, in the back, where Old Josh raised those kids, they still have the old shack, and Jordon still works down in Ozark, Alabama as a clerk, at the same store, he’s been there ever since he’s been fifteen years old.
The year is 1909; Old Josh has been dead going on four years, come July 1. Silas’ date of birth, on his birth certificate reads 1832, but the ink is smuggled so who can tell, (about 77-years old now), and Jordon’s is 1837 the same smug, from Doctor Benjamin, who had a good hand in writing words, but bad handwriting (about 72-years old now), not sure if that is correct, but the best I can do for you. They have a retired 8not sure from what), and they have four acres of land.
One of the things Old Josh wanted to be was a poet, like Walt Whitman, or Henry W. Longfellow. He couldn’t read much, but he had Silas and Jordon do that.
On another note, Charles Hightower has now been dead for many years, he took Old Josh in when he was a boy, if you read the first series, this will come to light. Old Josh was found in New Orleans, abandoned during a flood. Jordon is perhaps the smarter one of the two boys, but Silas, he is the more down to earth, if not harder worker. Half the time they don’t realize they are old.
I often think, did I use my brother and me when I came up with Josh’s two boys, I really don’t know, it was not planned that way anyway. Now we must get into the story (s). It is 1909, and Old Josh’s name has come up, Jordon is talking to Silas, on the porch, on the plantation where his hut is. The Hightower’s still live in the large front house, similar to a grand house you could say, a mansion of sorts, and Jordon makes his first statement:
Jordon with the Banjo
And Silas by their Shanty
Jordon: Why is you always’ gits to tell me wuh to do, I wants to a poet like pa!
Silas: But pa had da wit an’ wisdom, you is jes a fool boy!
Jordon: Why is you call me boy…dat dhere name, I is no boy da whites folk say when dhay wants to make us beg…!
Silas: you is jes like pa, you gits it in for all da white folks dont ya?
Jordon: I tells you da poem, and you tells me if yu’ all likes it? Ok?
(Silas kicks his feet against the wooden railing on the porch, the back of his chair moves back against the wall of the house, he got a smirk on his face, his eyebrow is up, Jordon moves his banjo)
Silas: Wuh is you all waitin’ for?
Jordon: I is getting tuned up, you knows poems is like songs, so I will sing you da poem, ok?
Silas: Sho’ brother, I knows it from the first I hears you say poem, you is going to pick dat banjo up and sing it (ha..ha…ha, Silas laughs)
Jordon: so now you is like pa ’gain, Lord! Lord! It were a time. You think you knows wuh in me head before I knows it!
Silas: Jes gitten’ on an’ sings da poem brother, ‘fore I finish da corn whisky her off an’ falls to sleep, you talks so much, like pa used to, never could shut him up, unless I done fills his head with moonshine.
Jordon Sings and Plays the Bingo:
I is an ole cowhand
From da rio grand
An’ I likes to eat pig feet
But I can’ afford dat
So I eats black-eyed pea
Pork shanks, and cornbread,
Cuz I is an ole cowhand
From da Hightower plantation!
Silas: You is best stay a clerk now in Ozark, Ha, ha, dats better dhen your rhyme, you ant no cowhand, cuz we only git one ole cow in da corral, and I takes care of him.
2-19-2008 (Written at home, Lima, Peru)
Index to the most common word Dialect
Old= ole gal er (her)
Why=
Where= wey
You=
Ignorant: ign’ant
Darn the varmint=
Because= cuz
About= ‘bout
Busted= bu’sted
That’s= dat’s
Feeling= feelin’
And= an’
What= Wuh
The= de
Difference= heap of differ’ ent
Isn’t or is not= ain’
With= wid
They= Dey
When= Wuh
Just= jes
Rambling=Ramblin’ (for many words, the ‘g’ is removed)
Around= ‘round (in many words, the front ‘a’ is removed)
Something= sump’n
Hollering=hollerin’
Expression: he heart in he mout’ (instead of using his, he is used)
He change he name
Am I= Is I
Sure= sho’
Was= wuss
Near= er
Cause= cus
Rise up= riz up
Before= ‘fore
Poison= pizen
If= ef
Get= git
Leave= leff
Becoming night= getting’ nigher
((Born 1805, died 1905) (Series Four))
Index
(New episodes)
Old Joshin, the Poet
Episode: #35
Old Josh in: Alligator Moonshine
Episode: #:36
Old Josh in: The Dugout Canoe
Episode: 37
Old Josh in: Centipedes
Episode: #38
Old Josh, in:
The Hanging of Amos, of Stone Bridge
Episode: #39
—Forward
A while back I wrote three dozen sketches called “Old Josh”, and got a lot of respectful feedback, liking the series. The story takes place in the 1800s Old Josh was born b, up between 1805 to 1810, nobody really knows, because nobody kept records of black folks back then, he died around 1905, so the records say, but still others say it was 1910, we shall go along with 1805 to 1905, for the record here. He had two sons, the youngest is Jordon, 1837 or ’39, was his birth, he died in 1920, and his older brother, Silas, was born around 1833, died I hear in 1913.Everything is conjecture thought, as I mentioned, records were hard kept, and messy.
Old Josh, was taken out of New Orleans, during a great flood, he told his boys he was about seven to nine years old, perhaps even ten, when Mr. Hightower, a white plantation, farmer from him, and took him to Ozark, Alabama, his mother whom had perished in the flood, being the main reason. Thus, he is raised on the plantation, where he lives and dies, and in-between like all of us, has some good and bad times.
The 34-sketches, which started with seven, and went to fourteen, through out the past four years, about ten sketches a year, is turning into a novel of sorts. Now we have in 2008, several more, it should reach 40 to 45 sketches in all; but who knows. In addition, we have three prior series, the first “Old Josh, of Ozark,” then, “Old Josh, in Pure Nigger,” and the third, “Old Josh, in: The Plantation.” Now we have the forth, “Memories of Old Josh.”
In no way are these series trying to insult, or degrade the black race, rather, to introduce to the new generation, and perhaps to some of the old generation, the generation long lost, a if not a language in itself, lost. I learned, and lived in Ozark, Alabama, in the back of shantytown areas, in l977 to 1980, (some 30-years ago). The language is very distinct, and perhaps is embedded in the soil, of long ago, longer than they cared to tell me. It is the English language, adapted here, meaning, a dialect if you don’t mind, but sounds a bit different, or will once you read the stories. Although in this series, the stories will mostly be narrated by me, whereas, it was more of a dialogue in the past series. The second series, “Pure Nigger,” was picked up by over 50-sites, and the first and third series, perhaps by more, or less, I’m not sure, but the first seven was picked up by more internet sites than the other two, perhaps 60-sites, so the Old Josh has been read in the last four years by thousands of readers, I have at present about two-million years a year on all my 2300-writtings, world wide, on about 400-internet sites, about 150,000-readers a month. And Old Josh seems to be ahead or equal with any of my writings.
Back to the language of that area: you may find that several sounds in the same sentence seem familiar, don’t look for rules. If this offends you, then don’t go beyond this; the language is almost a chant here, as I remember it, and took notes on it, in which recently I re-found in my library.
Living in Alabama in the ‘70s, in an area I did, and talking to the folks by the cemetery, they were of an unusually breed, in that, they themselves were of an unusually high type. Some had white and Indian blood in them, you could tell. Here are some new sketches, some done in the same format.
Memories of
Old Josh, in: the Poet
((in: Memories of Old Josh) (forth Series; episode #35))
Advance: Josh was about 27-years old when Silas, the oldest child was born, and old doc, Doctor Benjamin Lee Ssumsky (last name being his family’s name, whom came from Australia in the 1795, he was born 1796), and was the doctor who spanked both Silas and Jordon on the butt, he said “To wake them up” (old doc, Benjamin, died in 1869, so folks say, at the ripe old age of 73).
Jordon a few yeas younger than Silas, neither child ever knew there age, not event Old Josh, he and his brother inherited a plot of land, Mr. Charles Hightower’s land, in the back, where Old Josh raised those kids, they still have the old shack, and Jordon still works down in Ozark, Alabama as a clerk, at the same store, he’s been there ever since he’s been fifteen years old.
The year is 1909; Old Josh has been dead going on four years, come July 1. Silas’ date of birth, on his birth certificate reads 1832, but the ink is smuggled so who can tell, (about 77-years old now), and Jordon’s is 1837 the same smug, from Doctor Benjamin, who had a good hand in writing words, but bad handwriting (about 72-years old now), not sure if that is correct, but the best I can do for you. They have a retired 8not sure from what), and they have four acres of land.
One of the things Old Josh wanted to be was a poet, like Walt Whitman, or Henry W. Longfellow. He couldn’t read much, but he had Silas and Jordon do that.
On another note, Charles Hightower has now been dead for many years, he took Old Josh in when he was a boy, if you read the first series, this will come to light. Old Josh was found in New Orleans, abandoned during a flood. Jordon is perhaps the smarter one of the two boys, but Silas, he is the more down to earth, if not harder worker. Half the time they don’t realize they are old.
I often think, did I use my brother and me when I came up with Josh’s two boys, I really don’t know, it was not planned that way anyway. Now we must get into the story (s). It is 1909, and Old Josh’s name has come up, Jordon is talking to Silas, on the porch, on the plantation where his hut is. The Hightower’s still live in the large front house, similar to a grand house you could say, a mansion of sorts, and Jordon makes his first statement:
Jordon with the Banjo
And Silas by their Shanty
Jordon: Why is you always’ gits to tell me wuh to do, I wants to a poet like pa!
Silas: But pa had da wit an’ wisdom, you is jes a fool boy!
Jordon: Why is you call me boy…dat dhere name, I is no boy da whites folk say when dhay wants to make us beg…!
Silas: you is jes like pa, you gits it in for all da white folks dont ya?
Jordon: I tells you da poem, and you tells me if yu’ all likes it? Ok?
(Silas kicks his feet against the wooden railing on the porch, the back of his chair moves back against the wall of the house, he got a smirk on his face, his eyebrow is up, Jordon moves his banjo)
Silas: Wuh is you all waitin’ for?
Jordon: I is getting tuned up, you knows poems is like songs, so I will sing you da poem, ok?
Silas: Sho’ brother, I knows it from the first I hears you say poem, you is going to pick dat banjo up and sing it (ha..ha…ha, Silas laughs)
Jordon: so now you is like pa ’gain, Lord! Lord! It were a time. You think you knows wuh in me head before I knows it!
Silas: Jes gitten’ on an’ sings da poem brother, ‘fore I finish da corn whisky her off an’ falls to sleep, you talks so much, like pa used to, never could shut him up, unless I done fills his head with moonshine.
Jordon Sings and Plays the Bingo:
I is an ole cowhand
From da rio grand
An’ I likes to eat pig feet
But I can’ afford dat
So I eats black-eyed pea
Pork shanks, and cornbread,
Cuz I is an ole cowhand
From da Hightower plantation!
Silas: You is best stay a clerk now in Ozark, Ha, ha, dats better dhen your rhyme, you ant no cowhand, cuz we only git one ole cow in da corral, and I takes care of him.
2-19-2008 (Written at home, Lima, Peru)
Index to the most common word Dialect
Old= ole gal er (her)
Why=
Where= wey
You=
Ignorant: ign’ant
Darn the varmint=
Because= cuz
About= ‘bout
Busted= bu’sted
That’s= dat’s
Feeling= feelin’
And= an’
What= Wuh
The= de
Difference= heap of differ’ ent
Isn’t or is not= ain’
With= wid
They= Dey
When= Wuh
Just= jes
Rambling=Ramblin’ (for many words, the ‘g’ is removed)
Around= ‘round (in many words, the front ‘a’ is removed)
Something= sump’n
Hollering=hollerin’
Expression: he heart in he mout’ (instead of using his, he is used)
He change he name
Am I= Is I
Sure= sho’
Was= wuss
Near= er
Cause= cus
Rise up= riz up
Before= ‘fore
Poison= pizen
If= ef
Get= git
Leave= leff
Becoming night= getting’ nigher
posted by Dennis and Rosa Siluk at 8:26 PM
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