JAMAICAN SUITE-TING
(for Jean Toomer in Brooklyn)

 the drumming it forgotten
in rhyming rhythm-d refrains
sorcering-d tongues de-juice-ing the cane
over turn’n-d in de palms
of slicken-d slaved hands
the cane in here de-juice-ing-d
in rhyming rhythm-d refrains

the big white house
still on me back it be
me head it holding it down
inside where under-the-neath
i herding me in here with shuffling hands
me drowning me in my lap
with my mis-forgot african

 the drumming it forgotten
in rhyming rhythm-d refrains
sorcering-d tongues de-juice-ing the cane
over turn’n-d in de palms
of slicken-d slaved hands
the cane in here de-juice-ing-d
in rhyming rhythm-d refrains

dark legs get they strong
through in slow dancing the sung
en-trancing-d ‘round in things
‘bout me i dont understand
i burying-d here in this fleshing-d
of my mis-forgot african

 the drumming it forgotten
in rhyming rhythm-d refrains
sorcering-d tongues de-juice-ing the cane
over turn’n-d in de palms
of slicken-d slaved hands
the cane in here de-juice-ing-d
in rhyming rhythm-d refrains

Copyright © 2003 Asili Ya Nadhiri