In this piece we have three sixteenth note rests along with two dotted eighth notes that gives it the offbeat feel.

Starting off we rest on beat one immediately coming in on the “e”. This should be a phrase to be spoken as “e and ah”. On beat two we have a sixteenth rest followed by the immediate “e” of two.  We speak this phrase as “two e—“. When you say it you should keep in mind that the “e” is to be held longer to take up space for the full duration of the “and ah” since it’s a dotted eighth note. Beat three is the same process as beat two.  Lastly, on four we have two eighth notes which are “four and” to finish the piece.