Is Caribbean She
POEM by Opal Palmer Adisa

is who she
when she get born
who spit she out
pan what ship
crossing which ocean
she wailed into life
knew from she first breath
the life she tek on
heavier than hamper heaped packed
with yam and banana
but she ain’t fraid nothing
will not be turned back
forever moving forward
she mouth chalice
tracing people all up
and under dem clothes
inside dey private parts
is where she going
to see whom
wid she slippers
clapping against she soles
she is crosses
spit pan she and
see if it don’t sizzle
she manish too
walking like de ground
mek fah she
sitting all day
in de market
she body
rank with sea-weed and gold
or working in de cane-field
swinging she cutlass
daring man or insect
she been flogged
many times
for she same loosed tongue
she been tied down
legs spread then forcefully entered
she did wash weh
dem poisoned seed
she did refuse
she wombshe did run too
and tek bush
fah she second skin
but she did stay also
and cook a sweet pot
seasoned with she blood
she did bide she time
squat and study de mountain range
she did mek sheself
present when she was absent
and missing even as she stood
before dem
she is duppy
and leggo beast
sometime barmy
other times sanier
than your mother
she is everywhere
and no where
is what she name
is whe she come from
see she deh
a serve afternoon tea
in government office
see she deh
a si down in parliament
see she deh
at airport
clearing she goods
to sell
she no easy
you know
she no somebody
whose foot you
want step on
she laugh belly-laugh
and chat like deaf-ear man
she always going places
been many places already
she naw let
de times
leave she behind
is caribbean dem
call she
is she you need
study

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