I've been a literature student for most of my high school life and now it's my major in University. If there is one thing I know, it's that the Caribbean has bred some amazing poets and I'd like to share their work with you guys. Some of the poems will be in local dialect but some will also be in English.

Mi bin a litrecha tudent fi moasa mi aye skool life han now a mi mayja inna univarsity. If a one ting mi kno, is dat di Cyaribbian av breed up som hamazin poyits. and mi waan fi share dem wuk wid unu. Som a di poyem dem ago be inna di lowcal dialic but som a dem aggo deh inna Henglish.

Most poems will be featured from Gardening in the Tropics- Oliver Senior
And some of Louis Bennett Coverly's works (there will be in local dialect). Feel free to comment and give your interpretaion of these poems below. We can discuss them and move on to others.


TROPIC LOVE
—OLIVE SENIOR


Gardening in the Tropics you hear poetry
in some unexpected places. Sitting on my
verandah last night I overheard two people
passing by. The woman said:

You don't bring me flowers anymore
—or anything for the children.
My heart has turned to stone
but I cannot put that in the pot.
Love me and my family or leave me
to sit by the roadside to sell,
by the riverside taking in washing,
by milady's fire cooking for my living.
I'm a woman with heavy responsibilities.
With my lot I'm prepared to be contented.
With your sweet words, Lover, tempt me
not, if you've come empty-handed.


No Lickle Twang - Louise Bennett

Me glad fi see yuh come back, bwoy,
But lawd, yuh let me dung
Me shame a yuh so till all a
Me proudness drop a grung.

Yuh mean yuh go dah Merica
An spen six whole mont deh,
An come back not a piece better
Dan how yuh did go weh?

Bwoy, yuh no shame? Is so yuh come?
After yuh tan so lang!
Not even lickle language, bwoy?
Not even lickle twang?

An yuh sister what work ongle
One week wid Merican
She talk so nice now dat we have
De jooce fi understan?

Bwoy, yuh couldn improve yuhself!
An yuh get so much pay?
Yuh spen six mont a foreign, an
Come back ugly same way?

Not even a drapes trousiz, or
A pass de riddim coat?
Bwoy, not even a gole teet or
A gole chain roun yuh troat?

Suppose me laas me pass go introjooce
Yuh to a stranger
As me lamented son what lately
Come from Merica!

Dem hooda laugh after me, bwoy!
Me couldn tell dem so!
Dem hooda seh me lie, yuh wasa
Spen time back a Mocho!

No back-answer me, bwoy - yuh talk
Too bad! Shet up yuh mout!
Ah doan know how yuh an yuh puppa
Gwine to meck it out.

Ef yuh waan please him, meck him tink
Yuh bring back someting new.
Yuh always call him 'Pa' - dis evenin
When him comes seh 'Poo’.