AYE MI JAMAICA GAL

by Pheonia Bailey
(London UK)

Jamaica50 Entry #21 -Aye Mi Jamaica Gal(Poem)

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Jamaica gal; a mi dis Patois Princess a talk
De one yuh mek hol’ yuh han’ an accompany yuh
‘pon yuh walk
De one yuh gi’ privilege fi roam Manchester an’ St Ann
Seh wah? If a dah said lil’ nattah head chubbo chubbo
shy shy gal weh Girlie did hab?
Well Ma! Mi still chubbo chubbo an’ de head nuh so natty
now-but yes gal, a mi said one!

Jamaica gal yuh know a long time since mi Mumma dem
carry mi come a farin
But if mi shoulda eva forget yuh; Lord know seh mi
woulda commit big sin!
Mi Country yuh did so good to mi; from de day mi a swing
'pon tree limb, an' nyaam off yuh succulent fruits
From mi banga days dung a riverside an’ learning up a
Willel School
Mi know mi a big gal now mi fren but how mi coulda
forget mi roots?

Wi chase mongoose an’ duppy fowl , read Anansi
an’ dance Jankunoo
Wi pick off ticks from Myrtle cow an’ run
when wi see patoo
Ah memba how wi used to ‘row boat’ wid tin boom
an’ cart wheel dumplin'
An' if wi ever see green lizad, yuh done know stone
haffi fling!
Wi neva mean harm or even insult
When wi aim after bird wid wi lickle catapult

We run inna de green an’ kinpuppalick inna de grass
Shhh All sometime wi use to tief weh from class!
Star apple, lychee, june plum galore
All when wi belly a bust, wi still a bawl out fi
more more more!
Wi mix de sugar waata an’ pep it up wid lime
An' fi see mango juice through yuh fingers; add to de
memories so divine!

Wi did love fi go a gully, but a steep climb fi go dung
Wi overcome wi fear, when Granny carry wi go a grung
She plant peanut fi mek wi punch an’ strawberry fi wi jam
Nuff sweet potato an’ irish, scallion an’ yam
Mi an’ mi cousin Tracey dem jus’ did love fi
nyam nyam nyam!

So as mi memba yuh now mi gal, Ah feel yuh sunlight
'pon mi skin
Ah feel de pride a bus up inna mi an’ joy a flood widdin
For yuh a celebrate yuh Golden years, FIFTY a dem in
all!
An' when mi see de strengt' yuh come out wid, Jah know
mi want fi bawl
For yuh endure years o’ hardships, yuh suffer nuff
fallen trees
For people come come turrup yu lan’ an neva seh
tenks nor please
Columbus seh ‘im discover yuh but eh, Arawak neva
deh yah firs’?
Dem call yuh Land o’ Wood an’ Water; for yuh satisfy
dem tirs’

Mi glad fi de one dem weh did always believe
an’ neva give up hope
For even inna slavery days yuh breath an’ beauty help
dem cope!
Ah see de look inna yuh eyes mi gal, Ah see de tears yuh
waan' fi cry
But neva mind mi Jamaica gal, yuh redemption draweth nigh
It feava yuh no know yuh lub; it look like yuh nuh know
yuh fame?
When yuh hear dem clap han’ an’ seh: Wonder of the
Worl’... Jamaica, yuh is de one an’ ONLY same!

So enjoy yuh Grand Celebrations, drink in de atmosphere
An’ know although some inna farin lan’ ...we neva
stop wi care
After all dese heap o’ years, yuh Beauty fresh no less
An’ mi write dissa poem letter yah, fi mek yuh know mi
tink yuh a de BEST!

Happy Jamaica50th!

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