Well here I am.
64 and nowhere a gu.
Me live mi life, de best way mi can.
Everybody gwarn lef mi,
Nuting lef fi mi in a England
When Granville cum a England
Him work enough money fi send fi mi in a SIX months
It never tek him long.
When mi cum, a in a di height a winter.
I never see snow in all mi born days.
As pickney we hear sey snow fall a Blue Mountain
But mi never lucky fi see it.
Due to one of the early winters
Mi loose mi dawter Grace.
De winter of ..... 1959.
Grace ketch up a bad chest cold
Poor likkle mite! she ben suffer.
But God know everyting best.
He took Grace..
She was only a likkle baby
Me lef mi one son back a JA
Me mother very good to me,
Fa she look after Leroy until him could fend fi himself.
He had the best schooling muney could buy.
And! Him pass out ALL him teachers’ exams.
One good bwoy dat.
Very much like him farda.....
Granville
Granville du everyting fi mek mi happy
He, was a good man.
A never was in need of anyting
A had mi freedom, unlike most women.
Eberyone did lub him off.
Him help EVERYONE.
Him heart BIG wid kindness.
Him was a cabinet maker and it did cum in handy.
A lot of people have a lot to be thankful for.
There was a lot of people dear today.
A holeheap of well wishers.
A really gwain miss him though.
After him work sooooo hard in a di factory.
Fe soooo many years
Saving fe we fe gu back home.
Him never wan dead ya.
Him REALLY never wan dead ya.
De worst ting of all
Me couldn’t sen him body back home.
An Leroy couldn’t cum over fe attend him father funeral.
If only him did hold on fi another month
We would be back a JA
Everyone leave mi now
He live mi life de best way mi can
64 and nowhere a gu
Well, here I am!
written by
M. P. Houslin
Written in December 1989
1 comment:
Touching It is a reality for so many older Jamaicans Sad and portrayed clearly in this poem.
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