poems

Lord mi dere, yuh hear bout di chikungunya virus,

It a gwaan bad fi true,

It a lick dung people one by one, an two by two.

Sometimes it even attack every member in a household.

It a get quite naughty, quite bright an bold.

Di virus a travel up an down, mi surprise fi see how far it reach.

It want teck over entire school like it come fi teach.

Chik-V will attack anyone, it nuh have respect fi status,

it nah discriminate,

But it seem like pregnant woman, di elderly an

di young a dem it really hate.

Wi know seh it nuh hardly fatal, but wi nuh

want it anyway,

Dis unwelcome guest, wi don't want 'im fi stay.

Fi mi Aunty Matty have dis advice both fi you an me.

She seh don't surrender, guh to war against Chik-V,

Tell him how wi handle Malaria cause by the female anopheles,

We strangle him an send him bending on 'im knees,

Suh as fah Chik-V, an im Aedes Egypti,

give im a fine beating, an send 'im home fi cry.

Mi agree wid Aunty Matty, wi gwine prevent

Chik-V from doing 'im ting.

Wi gwine guh all out an wi gwine clip 'im wing.

We can't allow 'im fi slow dung productivity,

We haffe be combative in wi activity.

So guess what, wi nah give dis mosquito anymore place fi breed,

Wi gwine duh everyting fi wipe 'im out indeed.

So massive clean up programme,

vector control gwine give him dat final blow.

Wi a guh wear long pants an long sleeve shirt,

Wi nah even give him time fi flirt.

An wi a teck wi vitamin fi meck wi

immune system strong.

So if im tink im gwine over-power wi,

A can tell Chik-V im wrong.

Mi hear seh im love profile wid fever,

headache, an pain, nausea, vomiting

an even rash,

But believe mi, wi a prepare fi him

An 'im hope a guh dash.

So Chik-V remember dis, try stay far,

Fah wi a guh all out,

an wi a guh win di war.

- Nalda Taylor-Wright

Chick

just ah teck on "chick an child:"

all when you don't have a chick nor ah child" it still ah reach you

we need to know how much strains it have

is V like from I to V?

with dengue we know sey after

different strain you get immune at least to that one

SOS!

- Helen-Ann Elizabeth Wilkinson

Bwoy dat deh 'Chick' romp ruff

One lick an you pain up from head to toe,

Can bearly walk movements very slow,

Put yu foot down gently,

Oh dear God, dat hurts,

Haffi hold on pon de rail for much needed support,

To get up outta bed is a very big task,

An to do the least little chore is more than one could ask,

But guess wha, mi may be down but mi not out,

For dat's not what di fighting spirit is all about,

Mi gwan get up an fight back,

At di onslaught of dis vicious attack,

Wi gwan mobilise di entire neighbourhood,

An get rid of dis yah 'Chick V' fi good.

- Errington Johnson

Mama

Dis yu nuh waan fi hear,

Dem seh chicken dung ya

A fiah big gun bout ya;

Now dis is no joke,

Whether yu a dread

Or yu eat pork,

From Negril to St Thomas,

People a get bite

Dem don't even know.

Today yu deh a work,

Tomorrow pain a lick

Yu blow wow,

Ankle pain,

Knee pain,

Groin and elbow pain

Feva all ova.

Mi hear Harry

'Bwoy, mi ago stop eat chicken,'

Him neva know

Eating so much chicken,

Could cause an epidemic,

If Harry di a listen

To him TV or radio,

Him woulda know

Is not chicken, but mosquito,

Yes di maaga foot mosquito dem

Is who bring it dung ya.

Chickungunya is caused

From mosquito bite,

Is suh dem lick shot

Mek nuff big strong man

Tek weh dem self,

When pain hook dem up.

Mi deh ya a wonda

How long it ago tek

Di Government fi move,

Call a state of emergency,

Call out di army,

Curfew di place

And arrest dem gun-toting

mosquitoes.

We coulda ask Uncle Sam

Fi lend wi two droan,

Fi fly ova di country,

Drop engine oil

Inna di breeding sites,

Cause if dis sinting

Get outa han',

Di whole country ago

Stand still,

From a likkle dry foot

Maaga mosquito bite.

- Kenneth Grant

***

Mommy, you a champion

Mommy, you a me hero

Mommy, you a Champion

Mommy, you a me hero

THe greatest woman

On Planet earth

You were a tower of strength

When I was weak

You held my back,

When the world was at war with me

When the girls broke my heart

You had words so smart

Always knowing exactly what to say

How can this debt be ever repaid

Mommy, you a me hero

Mommy, you a Champion

Mommy, you a me hero

The greates woman

On the island

Everytime I needed advice

You were as gentle as a lamb

and as wise as an owl

You always told me the truth

I was never left in the cold

Even when I lied, on many a times

From life's injuries

You were there to doctor and nurse me

That's why

Mommy, you a me hero

Mommy, you a Champion

Mommy, you a me hero

The greates woman

On the island

I would fall in love at times with a dream

You were always there supporting me.

Because of all the love you showed me

From the fire of hate you saved me

That's why Mommy

your my champion.

Champio of the world

The greatest woman

on planet earth.

- Robert Newman