GUANAHANI

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.

If I kissed your seagrape stained lips
Would I taste life acerbic sweet
Salty-tart juices on my tongue?

If I curled my fingers through your hair
Would I feel centuries of living
Rough/smooth edges of coral rock?

If I rested my head on your bosom
Would I hear a primal pulse
Heart beats of a hutia-skin drum?

If I inhaled you reminiscent
Would I recollect infinity
Wet with sea spray suds and spume?

And if I called your name Guanahani
Let it glide like a seagull on the wind
Would you respond, in whale song blues?