Jennifer-Keane Dawes, Gleaner Writer

Me dear mam,

De other day me go a dis meeting weh dis nice lady was talking bout going green, how fe fine natural ways fe save water, electricity an such de like in order fe save de planet. Well, when she touch de point bout how we fe learn fe use rain an river water, me begin smile to meself. For me dear mam, anybaddy a yard weh use river water coulda write har speech. Pon how one river can hab nuff use to nuff people one time.

Suh get a windah seat inna country bus, drive pass de length a Rio Cobre weh tun to de road, an see weh yu see. One big man, stark bawn naked, wid him carbolic soap an piece a wash rag a bathe like juice. An suh him soap up an wash off, a suh him soap up an wash off a again. For de mawning cool an de water sweet. An suh him soap up again, an about fe wash off, watch how him a go draw fe de piece a ole butter pan a river water pon de stone wid him two foot a slippas. An watch how him a go duck himself wid it.

Drive dung two foot further an see if yu nuh see one pickney siddung comfortable eena de shallow part. A mek sure do weh him madda tell him fe do. For lass night whole night him belly did a cut him. An listen out how him little sista a bawl yeye water. For him run outta de yard an lef har. After she did ask mama if she coulda go to. Den, watch how, inna de said river, next to de little bwoy an him sista, how smady auntie a dip up an a gargle. For there is nutten like river water fe tek out bad taste outta har mout a mawning time. Den, drive dung little further an see if yu nuh see one dozen ooman wid one dozen bankra a clothes a wash inna de said water. An listen if yu hear nuh grumbling. Listen if yu nuh hear so-so laugh fe peas soup ova parson weh fegat him yeye glass eena Vie bathroom pon de toilet tank lass night. An a Vie husband go een deh go bucky up. Watch how de ooman dem eena de water wid dem skirt tie up roun dem knee. Dem back ben ova, an dem han a scrub rhythm wid de white clothes dem weh spread out pon de river stone.

Watch how de sun a come up. An watch how smoke start come outta dis pile a wood weh smady ketch pon de bankin fe roast bread fruit. Look if yu nuh see smady a scale fish, gut out de belly, peel out de gil, an wash out everything eena de said water weh de man a bathe eena. De pickney dem a do weh dem madda hawda dem fe do eena. De ooman a gargle an spit eena.

De ooman dem a wash clothes eena. Watch how de fish a go wash clean eena de water an put eena frying pan same place a de river bank. Den look good, when de bus stop a de next shop. An de man dem still suddung deh pon de piazza fram lass night a play domino. Look good pon de house dem up a gully if all a dem nuh have a drum pan set a de house kanah fe ketch rain water. Notice good if smady outta de house nuh come dip up some an gone een back wid it. An look good if everything from river bank to flowers nuh green an pretty? Missis mam, wid water recycling an de God bless beauty a we place, we gone green long time.

Dr Jennifer Keane-Dawes has been appointed Interim Dean of the School of Graduate Studies at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, a constituent institution of the University of Maryland System. Send your emails to: jkd876@yahoo.com.