Poems

Garvey Paadn Merika

Dem neva lov dem neva lov dem neva lov poor Marcus…

Dem neva lov dem neva lov dem neva lov poor Marcus…

Im oana bredrin sel im fi rais an piiz

Mi waan biliiv seh

Evn afta wi ful wi beli wid rais an piiz

Papa G di stil hav room ina im aat

fi lov di lan wi lov

an miebi, iivn lov, di wan weh cliem seh

dem rule wi

kaa dem a wi muda.

But Huncl did fing som bita toun

Dat bun iivn afta

Papa spirit gaan

back a Afrika.

Dem oula ed seh, ‘Lef evriting tu taim.’

Dem seh, ‘taim langa dan roap.’

Tumaro. Tumaro. Tumaro.

Everi die an aal nou

Insted a beg paadn

dem a gi paadn.

Wat a ting eh?

Stil, wi kno seh yu aart big Papa G,

An yu paadn dem lang taim.

Bwoi, Papa G, yu gud yu kno.

Yu gud.

– A-dZiko Simba Gegele

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Di War Done

Di war done now

Di whole community can have fun now

Naa fi run

From no gun now

Look wha wi community

Tun now

Caah walk street again

More drum can beat again

More dance can keep again

Now di community sweet again

Sports can keep again

Wi lickle heart no weak again

Di yutes can enter Speech again

Caa now di peace real again

Man naa scatta scatta

Knee naa batta batta

Caa now di love set right

An everything alright

Now is pure netball and football and drama

Wi kids naa fi suffer from no trauma

Now di whole community a pray

An hoping for a brighter day

Now di kids can learn computer

All who never know bout computer

Now wi all a look to di day

Where we can see a better way

Hoping wi dreams can fly high

Hoping dat di peace can stay

An some girl can bawl out “rae rae”.

– Lisa Gaye Taylor