Jennifer Keane-Dawes, Contributor

KEANE-DAWES

Dear Jamaica:

Me dear mam, between me, yu an de doorpost, me hab a little habit. Yu see after me git up a mawning time an tenk Massa Gad fe gi me a next day inna me rightful mine? Missis ma, me dis draw fe de piece a towel an go clean dung me lilly jalopy. For me mek up my mine fram long time, seh, when Massa Gad bless me wid nutten, a me duty fe tenk Him, tek care a whatsoever me get, an nuh fegat which part me a come fram.

Suh sake a dat, yu see when me start dust? An shine? No joke! Me dear mam, because fe me yeye water kotch, an a nuh wicked me wicked, a me dat. A praise Pupa Jeezas, an a tenk Him how Him bless me. An deliver me fram de everlasting wait me use to wait a bus stop, night an day, inna de cowl, when me did dis come a foreign wid me lilly bwoy. An how me used to haffi try help meself fe nuh drap. Inna dis two big ole soldierman snow boot, determine fe tun me inna invalid, an a weighty dung me two foot. Like dem mean fe me tan up one place. Plus, dis as cheap me did walk bayfoot. For every step me mek, a de ice an cowl ice water dat. Flood right een through de boot. Through de socks. Through me ten toe. An through every bone inna me baddy. Is a miracle seh me neva dead.

Crazy drivers

Suh me dear mam, since me memba weh me a come fram, me naw drive my car dutty. Like dem smady weh hantaganise credit union an bank fe barrah de money fe buy de jalopy. Dis suh dem can stop spen money pon taxi or drive inna one a dem mini bus weh de ducta tun driva. An while de bus a gillup like mad smady, de said driva nuh memba good if a him, or de next set a man, fe hold dung a de intersection. But back to dem smady weh nuh tek care a dem ansah to prayaz, yu look good, if, as one a me sista woulda seh, if dem vehicle nuh dutty like a dawg? See if it nuh hab all kine a corouches pon de seat. Plastic bag wid bulla crumbs. Even though dem claim seh dem nuh eat a road. Reading book. While de pickney inna class a copy like secretary. Public service light bill well fegat under de piece a Dear Pastor weh dem cut out. An de piece a umbrella weh hab no use. For two heavy breeze inna row did tun it, an tun it again, inna capital U.

Donkey

Das why me proud a dis man weh me hear bout when me come a yard de other day. Missis, when me out a walk a mawning time fe ketch little breeze, me always see dis donkey, well up in age, an him face heng dung like one a me madda school mate who used to fret ova everything, tie up. Come to fine out seh him belong to a little ole man who use to rent him out fe draw cart an so fort. But, since dem wouldn't tek care a de donkey, de owna man decide fe park him up an mek dem carry dem load pon dem head. Suh who a feel it now? De donkey under cool shadie? Missis, tek care a we blessing for Massa Gad seh, forget not all His benefits. Plus, pon top a dat him nuh owe we no obligation.

Tek care ...

Dr Jennifer Keane-Dawes is a professor of communication at Elizabeth City State University, a constituent institution of the University of North Carolina System.

- jkd876@yahoo.com