Our time on stage, how we balled and raved,
the Mystic Revs, high turquoise waves,
John & Zulaika, compañero Joe, Carroll
whose dance moves swelled with forgiveness.
Clinging to maroons of bass how we soared,
unpierced navels and constant springs, single
white Aussie knee grip on the drum – Go deh natty!
The smell of bus diesel to Cross Roads, trod down
town for new Marley 45, smoky darkness of Roger Mais
hills, the birth of dreadlock blues. The streets after
Rodney, how we surged, downpressed, batty bwoy,
blood & seed & I, news of the struggle in Mozam-
bique, black brown haute class forming
rites, women 1st Ministers cut priming – Sight?
Ikael whose Israelites wouldn't stand for reason, base
line bound MMorris slicing poems like tennis balls,
the rude bwoy who tossed his bike in the pool
when they wouldn't let him; other dash aways
kin torn, stealing mango for dinner, peeled orange
from the rolling calf tree. Cross many rivers gun
rain, and duppy curing canna leaf, conqueror for eye.
No no, gone-a-foreign mi no play, mi no smoke
pipe painter wanti-want you how you were,
grass grow long, drying now grey years.
Seh sky blue mountain, return past due?
No no no, the skies hail up dew new;
see't come running? bolt like time flew?
Life pounding, life still; iPower fall fi yu.
– W.W.
BIRD
My wings flutter before they fold
as once more I settle
for this flatness
of earth I can always soar above but
never ignore.
(from "Thief With Leaf" by Brian Chan)
FARJOURNEY CARIBBEAN 