CHILD AH DE BIG BANG FORWARD HOME
—for Andre Tanker (2003)

by Lelawattee Manoo-Rahming

Lelawattee Manoo-Rahming was born in Trinidad and lives in Nassau, Bahamas. An artist, poet, fiction writer as well as mechanical/building services engineer and part-time lecturer, she has published poetry in several magazines and anthologies in the Bahamas, the Caribbean and London. She won the David Hough Literary Prize from The Caribbean Writer (2001) and the Commonwealth Broadcasting Association 2001 Short Story Competition. Her first book of poetry, Curry Flavour (2000) was published by Peepal Tree Press.

De Friday before carnival
What ah time tuh fly away
Tuh look fuh another home
Andre, Boy, ah nevah get ah chance
Tuh tell yuh dat meh young brother
Did well like yuh song Forward Home
Ah wonder if he was singing
Dem words as he was floating face
Down in de foam @ Blanchiseuse
Ah went away
Ah leave an ah forward home
Ah forward to stay
Ah must see meh way

De Friday before carnival
Did de lady wid de head-wrap
Ring de bell up and down de street
Sing sayamanda, sayamanda
sayamanda an ring she bell
From pole to pole Toco to Sando
From lighthouse blues to crestle greens
Salt-fish buljol roast bake lavway
Ah soca chokha tuh carry
Yuh soul from Port-of-Spain
To Mesopotamia
Like a Wild Indian chant

De Friday before carnival
All de children getting ready
Fuh de Big Bang Jouvert Jab Jab
Ent see naked Ymoja chip
An ramachez tuh ah rapso
Wave song @ Manzanilla beach
How she call yuh in wind music
Like 3 Canal call yuh tuh practice
De Ben Lion kaiso riddum
How Ymoja rub yuh head wid oil
Whisper yuh is de fire earth
Water free now yuh’ll see yuh way