Proper English words were not enough
to teach the serious lessons girls must learn.
Only stories of who fell, or proverbs in Jamaica talk
could do the job. From morning until night
.
doomsday sayings echoed, breaking silences
that drizzled in between: what it meant to be a big girl,
.
knowing only one woman can live inside the house
so since is not you paying rent, it can’t be you.
.
If you flying past yuh nest, tek sleep mark death
and call back; otherwise you soon find out
.
what happen to dem force-ripe girls
who paint them lip and ass in red
.
and hang up hang up at the gate, with all dem
old bwoy bwoy from down the road. Show me yuh company
.
an ah tell you who you are, for crab who walk too much
always los’ him claw and if you sleep wid dawg
.
you must get up wid flea. For what sweet nanny goat
always run dem belly, and what gone bad a morning
.
can’t come good a evening! So if you think you bad,
an’ you ears don’t have no hole, gwan you ways
.
but mine you don’t cut off you nose an spite you face!
Frances-Marie Coke (20th century) Jamaica
Source: Zocalo Poets
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