|
in collection, From
Berbice to Broadstairs, 2006
Mango
Publishing, ISBN 1 902294 28 9
From this same veranda
(or Liming)
From
this same veranda Miss Beaumont order her lime juice
Cool
and sweet in the heat
Slow
ships roll on the tide
From
this same veranda Great-grandmother runs
Apron
full of limes
There’s
a new breeze on the skyline
From
this same veranda Pastor calls my fathers up
No
more talking drums, no sunset gatherings
Underneath
them limes
From
this same veranda Grandmother sweeps new dust
There’s
a rocking roll in her low-slung hips
And
a morning light in her eyes
From
this same veranda my mother hold that baby tight
Deep-voices
Louis Armstrong, partify the psalms
Whilst
From
this same veranda I watch my blue jeans swing
On
the washing line, my toenail polish shine
And
in no time
It
getting crowded up here with fathers and mothers
Sisters
and brothers, grand and godmothers
Aunty
niece from Toronto, Chicago, Accra
North
Island, Berbice, Castries
And
Brighton, England
But
y’know - there’s always room for one more - so
From
this same veranda I call my child
Darlin’
shove up that rocking chair, come
Join
us up here for a lime
Maggie Harris
(Liming:
hanging out)
|
