Heather Miller
7/9/2020
They came first, the Taino Arawaks, ‘bout 300 BC
Xaymaca they named this paradise of God
In 1494 Christopher Columbus, on orders from Spain
Claimed discovery of what was already there
Plundered, murdered, and brought disease.
Spaniards settled, stole land as its own
Arawaks all dead, no labor force
Who now to work land, tobacco, cotton, coffee?
Work too back breaking, need stronger men
Brought in Africans, their slaves became.
In 1655 Britain attacked and staked its claim.
Brought in slave ships bearing Africans
Chained, whipped, branded, de-hu-man-ized
Slavery a cash cow, big business for them
Sugar is gold, the economy soared.
Queen Nanny of the Maroons, she wasn’t having it
Revolted and fought and chased them out
From mountains and ridges, and took control
And England begged please, fight us no more
To this day, the Maroons, themselves, they rule.
Sam Sharpe’s uprising to force freedom’s hand
Emancipation August 1st, 1834, but a price to be paid
As poverty reeked among the newly freed
Paul Bogle led rebellion and hung for his efforts
Same fate for George William Gordon.
Sugar no longer the king it once was
Bauxite, coffee, tourism, rum
From the East came Chinese and Indians
First indentured then claimed their place
With Blacks, with Whites, all Jamaicans, all one.
Marcus Mosiah Garvey called for self-rule
Alexander Bustamante the Labor Party he found
His cousin Norman Manley, the PNP
Busta, lovingly called, Prime Minister became
August six, 1962, we flew the black, green and gold.
Reggae and Bob, we made the world stage
Joan, Cindy, Lisa, Toni-Ann, Miss World
Jody Ann, the first non-US Spelling Bee champ
Movie “Cool Runnings” ‘bout us in bob sled
Usain, lightning bolt, world record, 9.58, 1-9-1-9.
Jamaica its share of darkness would bear
Earthquake decimated the world's richest port
Kendall train crash maimed, took many a soul
Hurricane Gilbert with a song of its own
Blew devastation all over the land
Gun violence to come, peace to disrupt
CIA in the country to de-sta-bil-ize
Manley, the son, too close to Castro for them
Dump guns and drugs in rival strong-holds
Brought murder, mayhem and brain drain.
Resilient Jamaica, you will rise again
Great Queen of the isles, God's paradise
Land of Wood, Water, Out Of Many One
Ackee, saltfish, mahoe, lignum vitae, doctor bird
We cawn figet di patwah, Miss Lou she did it best.
Oh!
Oh! Jamaica!
Oh! My Jamaica!
Oh! My Sweet Jamaica!
Oh! My Sweet, Sweet Jamaica!
I’ll always call you home!
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Ode to Saltfish
Heather Miller
7/11/2020
Di poor codfish nevah stan a chance
Dem tek him an brine him and call him saltfish
Put him wid ackee and call him nashnal dish
Callallo seh him wahn fi him part inna it
Cabbige no wahn lef out, him jine di line to
One pot saltfish mix up wid rice
Soh soh saltfish cook up, bway it nice
Mek wi stamp an goh, saltfish flittahs
Den lawd, mek wi try it inna patty nuh to
Nuttin yuh cawn duh wid di poor saltfish
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Wedded Bliss (Coupling)
Heather Miller
7/11/2020
Bulla court Pear den him marry har
Bun get jealous an jain up wid Cheese
Buttah tell Bread mi wan spread out pan yuh
Ackee nuh wan lef out, him hook up wid Saltfish
Oxtail deh wid Braad Bean, but is a sometime ting
King Pigstail di cankara, is nuff Red Peas him wan hab
Dem all live tigeddah in pure wedded bliss
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