You are Guyanese

Basically, I come out of the song-writer mould, but every now and then a poem does come to me, as this one does today.

You are Guyanese

Lately I must tell you, they have me confused

The internet, the papers, we’re getting the blues The items coming at you like a voom voom cheese You’re not sure what is Guyanese.

Ah not fooling myself, it’s true you din ask me But here in this dear land recently

Here’s what I find most abundantly, star Guyanese, this is who we all are.

I come here from India, Ethiopia and Kent With a very strong back and a noble intent I learned how to manage, I learned to invent And me and nuff like me, we just grew.

I come from Madeira and from Birmingham I come from Chicago and from Amsterdam I helped build the kokers and roads in the land I showed them the things that I could do.

I learned easy does it, but first have a plan Stay quiet and learn from the folks

I know to clap roti, a gal showed me show And we say “Mister, sell me a Cokes”.

I chopped endless suckers; I made jamoon wine

I know jillabee and mango turpentine I remember the black dust upon the train line I’m a Guyanese soul through and through.

I cut coconuts open and spread them to dry I learned to drive tractor, and wear necktie, too And play like you didn’t see your father cry When Ma said take a bake, I took two.

Up in the Northwest, porkknocking I went

They showed me make fence with bamboo

I learned the hard way what good manners meant And to make pepperpot, what a stew!

And to eat with my hands….no problem, I mean two.

I learned pay attention when old people gaff And a couple to us means a few

And let your daddy lead when the family walk Glamma cherry is powerful glue.

We’re familiar with chigga and what is crab louse Corial is a boat we all know

GT folks understand when we say “bottom house” Or, “your’re gonna know where barley grow”.

All that I said there, take it, write it down

Print it on posters, please do

It will help all the young ones who head spinning ’round

If you’re Guyanese, yes that is you.

Hear what I saying, don’t dash it away

Write it down somewhere, all this that I say I’m sure it will come in handy one day If you’re Guyanese, yes, this is you.

My shoe always shine, my hair always neat

I cut black sage to clean up my teeth

And now we have oil, some say now trouble start But some say “Na, money now meet”.

My father would say, “Band your drawer, boy.

Dis country it ain’t eatin’ nice.”

But some o’ we running ’bout resembling cockroach Ignoring that proven advice.

And then lately now is election story We don’t know who lose, who gon clear I just nearly say go to Russian Bear bar But I think that and all disappear.

There once was a time not so long ago We could run to New York or Toronto

But now they and all have the virus m’dear So you have to hide in Hosororo.

Nuff ones among us say we’ll be all right Take time, they will tell you, cool breeze So hang in there brother and sister too, please We bend but don’t break, Guyanese! Celebrate who you are, Guyanese!