Papine
Zoop, zop, zoop
Zoop, zoop, zoop
Zoop, zoop, zoop
La la la la la
La la la la la
Celebrating a Jamaican spring morning
Kool FM dishing sweet soul melodies
Antioxidants eliminating
Free radicals from the stream
Constant Spring rises in the distance
Like flute notes
Star burst sunrays sweep my gaze
Her green roof stretched
Can’t cover the fire rust
Zinc fences of her neighbors
Gully banks stripped of their identity
Nothing grows now
Now even the living dead
Who refuse to move to higher ground
A mini bus of noises invades my solitude
Bad man tunes rapid firing
Beautiful people packed like sardines
Can’t breathe
They see ugly, feel ugly
Hear ugly, hoping
The next stop is Papine
Living dead stay silent while
The noise a buss up them head
Tired of hearing the same old
Wash up Cartel and gully bank stuff
They wrap, sell, feed, inject
Into conscious, subconscious cognitive centers
Want to hear rain tongue
Licking zinc roof belly clean
Finding grooves tracing
Igniting lightening thunder streams
Of warmth that only rain God
Tongue fingers can feel
Want to see a dragon fly
Kissing a rainbow angel
High up over a blooming poinsettia
As psychedelic as a Marley spliff pull
On a mystic morning
Turn down the noise
Increase the positive vibes
On this Tropical soft lit morning
Want to hear waves lashing
Bashing, crashing, caressing screaming
Melodies of love and happiness
I turn up my stereo
And down struck the distraction
Belly Full
Big belly man
Petite woman
Dine on succulent portions
Merry chatter laughter
Sophisticated whispers
Glasses of red wine
Knives slicing through delicacies
China plates whisper
Searching the menu
Couldn’t find a sumptuous appetizer
I desired something satisfying
Mouthwatering juicy tender
You caught my eyes
Sitting at my table
Everything I desired
But couldn’t find the courage to order
The time wasn’t right
To hold her eyes any longer
I began to dream
Walking down to Emancipation Park
She followed
Asking questions
I dared not answer
Then, maybe, just maybe
I would see her again
I did
Driving east through high mountains
Searching for the sun
Romancing memories of Lover’s Leap
Taking my eyes off the road
Just long enough to catch
The last sunray sweeping across her face
I felt hungry
God, I want to know what love is
For I am rising, falling
Living, dying
Full, famished
Thirsty, refreshed
Accepting everything
You have served up
We ascend to the peak
Rise, kill and eat.
An alumnus of Florida International University, Miami-Dade College and Jamaica School of Drama, Malachi Smith was one of the founding members of Poets In Unity, a critically acclaimed ensemble that brought dub-poetry to the forefront of reggae music in the late 70s. He has released numerous recordings of his work, and his latest album/CD Middle Passage celebrates his return to the potency of his journey poems enjoyed on Throw Two Punch. He is the 2011 recipient of the Independent Voyces Literary Fair in "Lifetime Time Achievement Award."