jamaica independence

Jamaican Poetry: Independent Jamaica

Emancipation Park Kingston, Jamaica
Emancipation Park Kingston, Jamaica

By: Denise N. Fyffe.
Copyright © 2017, Denise N. Fyffe

1962 we were reborn an independent land
Lush green hills and brilliant aqua waters in the Caribbean span
The sun set on August 6th and we were birthed a new nation
Not a giant, but we had the beginnings, perseverance and culture to be one;
Free from dependence
Free to rise to international prominence
Free to decide the affairs of our people and land
Free to be dominant anywhere we put our hand;

Two cousins, two charismatic gentlemen
Stood tall, representing the people,
Leading in governance;
Manley and Bustamante were visionaries of their time
As they carried the Jamaican people from the holds of Britain
Opening our minds;
Our battles were fought by the brave and strong
The nation we are now is owed to six heroes and a heroine’s hand
Marcus, Busta, Manley and Sharp
Bogle, Nanny and George William are cemented in our hearts;

Since 1962, ten leaders have risen to the thrones of government

Tarrus Riley performs at Negril Escape Resorts

And now we are lead by the strength of a woman,
Who oversees our country’s development;
Bob Marley beseeched
Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery
His songs and words are one of Jamaica’s crowning glories;
In the four corners of the world we are well known
For producing conscious music that thrills many to the bone
Reggae, Dancehall, Kumina, Ska and Mento too
With soul renting lovers rock and Beres Hammond tunes
Rhythm and rhymes continue perpetually in time
With singers like Dennis, Freddie and Tarrus Riley exhilarating our minds;

In 50 years we have produced many visionaries
Spanning many genres and industries
Stamping their dominance
Rising to the forefront in our country;
Charles Hyatt, Oliver Samuels and Louise Bennet-Coverly
Professor Rex Nettleford, Rudolph Williams and Edna Manley
Masters of the arts, dance, acting and comedy
Bringing us laughs and stories of Anancy;

Whether it is football, netball, domino, cricket or chess
In 50 years, Jamaica has produced some of the best
One memory we will never forget
Is that of our Reggae Boys scoring goals in the World Cup football net;
Herb Mckenley and Merlene Ottey

Have been the beacon to our youths
Inspiring 100, 200, and 400 sprinters
With Usain Boltnow reigning with his gold Puma shoes;

English: Jamaica 4x100 m at the World Champion...

Michael Frater, Asafa Powell, and Yohan Blake have made us proud
With VCB, Melanie Walker, and Shelly-Ann Fraser waving our flag high
In front of millions of cheering fans and stadium crowds;

Jamaica at 50 stands as a strong, independent land
With lush green hills and brilliant aqua waters in the Caribbean span
Rolling valleys filled with lignum vitae flowers,
Humming birds and ackee trees
We are proud Jamaicans,
African, Indian, Chinese or Lebanese;
Full of flavor like the Pimento spice
Truly in Jamaica, a yah so nice
Diverse in culture, Diverse and strong
God Bless Jamaica, Independent Jamaica, fi wi small and sweet island.

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Jamaican Poetry: Seething


By: Denise N. Fyffe.
Copyright © 2017, Poetess Defy, Denise N. Fyffe

I hiss mi teet an seethe
Like a cobra coiled
Deliberating…

Execute fury or
Recoil;
I hiss mi teet an seethe.

Mi mind racing thru corridors
Like a Amtrak train
Seeking recourse, seeking solution.
Meanwhile di devils chirp
Their song in mi head
‘Claro 3G break free…’
I goin to break somin yes
Two months,
Two significant problems
Too much;

I hiss mi teet and seethe.

Dis lady seh I mus seek recourse
Fi a five thousand dollars
I goin to seek
Judgement;
I hiss mi teet and seethe.

Di devils continue fi sing deh song

‘Claro 3G break free…’
I feel di tidal wave break in mi head.
I recoil and
Deliberate…
I hiss mi teet and seethe.

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Jamaican Poetry: Dis Journalist Mad


By: Denise N. Fyffe.
Copyright © 2017, Poetess Defy, Denise N. Fyffe

Now tell mi if di journalist nuh mad,
Fi go look pon 20 foot wave,
A wash pon land.
Afta yuh see sey one camera man almost drown,
Yuh a try get shot of Palisadoes grung;

Is anyting else damage?
Is yuh car alright?
Cause mi waan fi knuh,
Wah yuh a do inna storm 2’oclock a night?

Now tell mi if dis journalist nuh crazy,
Dem a go geh wi heart failure,
Or mek we have premature baby.
We jus waan knuh sey oonu safe an sound;
We nuh waan visit nuh burial ground.
Next ting di eulogy go read,
Great Jamaican, good friend father of some well sown seed;

Please mi a beg oonu nuh mek mi heart skip a beat;
Tek care, report good;
And of foolish acts, please beware.

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Jamaican Poetry: Mama Portia and Dean


By: Denise N. Fyffe.
Copyright © 2012, Poetess Defy, Denise N. Fyffe

Dean met a woman he had never before seen,
One wid a vision and a rising dream.
He thought he would pay har a devastating trip;
Taking his friends Chaos and Gusty Winds,
Just for the fun of it.

Mama Portia sey ‘God, what must I do, 
Some a mi picknie dem caan handle another hurricane,
Especially so soon’;
God sey ‘stand firm and watch mi tonight,
A gwaan gi yuh di strength to fight.’

Mama Portia and some of her picknie pray,
Dat devastation would not touch them dat day;
Everybody huddled and prepared for the fight,
Some took a quick peep wid dem TV camera,
To see who would lose that night.

Dean looked on and crept near,
Mama Portia sey bwoy yuh not welcome here.
She tell har brothers be prepared for any ‘Emergency’.
I want tings in place as a contingency.

Di fight get serious bout 3 di day,
Chaos and Gusty wind got a head start,
Dem nearly tear St. Thomas apart.
Caribbean Terrace was battered and bruised,
Portland Cottage cry flood, when it look like dem soon loose.

God stepped in and sey ‘ Enough is enough’;
Dean started to howl like him waan play tough.
Him lick off couple roof and tangle some line,
Him sey ‘God now is my time.
I not changing course.
I having Jamaica today,
Now is Chaos time wid wind and rain.

God raised his hand,
Dean was forced to obey,
He crept on South, at the end of the day.
Mama Portia, jumped up God’s praises a sing;
Yuh si why yuh mus believe inna God fi everyting

Har brothers kept watch for any ‘Emergency’,
In case Looting pass through to take advantage a wi.
Some worked hard to bring wata and light;
Digi and CW competed fah continual cell coverage dat night.

Mama Portia stayed her course,
She sey wid God, yuh caan go wrong.
Though times rough and di trek hard,
She always she, God must be first inna fi har yaad.
Ah yah yi.

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Jamaica, She is Royal


By: Denise N. Fyffe.
Copyright © 2012, Poetess defy, Denise N. Fyffe

Jamaica is gorgeous but just like many women, she is truly unaware of the magnitude of that Jamaican beauty.

This is the symptom of those who are blessed to live in island paradises like Hawaii, Bora Bora or even Aruba. They tend to lose the total appreciation for what is right in front of them. Jamaicans are no different. Though, it might be said that through all the socioeconomic difficulties, Jamaica’s majesty, might just be what is keeping the country, particularly, its people from truly sinking into utter deprivation.

With white sand beaches, particularly a gorgeous seven mile stretch in Negril. Black sand beaches guarding the edges of the east and south coast. Flourishing flora and fauna of the epic Jamaican country inlands; bumping up in the sky like the Blue Mountains and Cockpit Country. Tiny oasis of stunning beauty hidden in deep set curvatures of the island, Jamaica. Truly, Jamaicans are far more blessed than generally realized.

The everyday man misses the unique gifts which are upon him daily. Where else does almost every home have a fruit tree in the backyard and generally, there rae several of them. Towering mango trees, ackee trees, breadfruit, or our national flower lignum vitae trees. Succulent cherries, plums, bananas, papayas, apples and so many delicious morsels from God’s garden.

Jamaica is a another of earth’s Mecca, for tourists. Millions of people come each year to enjoy mostly the Northern region of the island. They visit Montego Bay, Negril, Dunns River Falls, Ocho Rios and all the lavish hotels like Beaches, Sandals and Iberostar. Portland also has hidden treasures that have captured the heart of the world’s rich and famous. Many come to Portland for the discretion and privacy; but they are also afforded heavenly beauty spots. The north coast of Jamaica and other tourism centers of the island, is Jamaica’s top economic earner. We are an island that sustains itself off tourism and other industries.

Jamaica, she is royal and truly majestic in every sense. Her bounty is for her children and those lucky enough to traverse her shores.

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Bob Marley: The Shooting of a Wailer by Cameron Crowe, January 13, 1977


Jamaican Reggae Artiste, Bob Marley: The shooting of a Wailer

Los Angeles – Bob Marley, one of the world’s best-known Jamaican Reggae performers, and three other persons were shot December 3rd when seven gunmen burst onto the grounds of Marley’s home in Kingston, Jamaica, where he and his band, the Wailers, were rehearsing. Miraculously, amid a shower of bullets, there were no fatalities.

Island Records spokesman Jeff Walker said the musicians were on a short break from preparing for their headlining appearance at a free outdoor “Smile Jamaica” festival, cosponsored by Marley and the Jamaican Cultural Ministry December 5th at a Kingston race track. It was 9 p.m. on a Friday evening when two cars roared into the driveway of Marley’s home on Hope Road. After sealing the exit with one car, four of the gunmen began firing into the windows of the house…

Midnight Raver

Bob Marley: The shooting of a Wailer

Los Angeles – Bob Marley, one of the world’s best-known reggae performers, and three other persons were shot December 3rd when seven gunmen burst onto the grounds of Marley’s home in Kingston, Jamaica, where he and his band, the Wailers, were rehearsing. Miraculously, amid a shower of bullets, there were no fatalities.

Island Records spokesman Jeff Walker said the musicians were on a short break from preparing for their headlining appearance at a free outdoor “Smile Jamaica” festival, cosponsored by Marley and the Jamaican Cultural Ministry December 5th at a Kingston race track. It was 9 p.m. on a Friday evening when two cars roared into the driveway of Marley’s home on Hope Road. After sealing the exit with one car, four of the gunmen began firing into the windows of the house. Another man, described by one observer as looking like “a…

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Leroy Smart – Sugar My Coffee


Jamaican Reggae Artiste, Leroy Smart

I was introduced to Leroy Smart about 20 years ago by my then room mate Rich, aka Prime Mundo. He had a stash of really good Jamaican pressed LPs in his closet, one of them was a Leroy Smart record. He told me a story of going to see Leroy perform sometime in the 80′s with a mutual friend in West Philly. They were the only white boys in the joint, and when the lights went down, the patrons who were dressed to the nines, let the Collie flow. Now these guys were in tees and jeans, and afraid they would get caught lighting a joint in the place. Imagine? Relieved, I believe the smoked said joint and that the Leroy Smart show was one of the best Reggae shows he has seen live. If not for the atmosphere, but for Smart’s music and presence as well. Here’s something I dug up a while ago on the cheap. It’s Leroy Smart with “Sugar My Coffee” from his 1979 Lp Let Everyman Survive on G.G.’s/ Hit Records.

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Flea Market Funk

I was introduced to Leroy Smart about 20 years ago by my then room mate Rich, aka Prime Mundo. He had a stash of really good Jamaican pressed LPs in his closet, one of them was a Leroy Smart record. He told me a story of going to see Leroy perform sometime in the 80’s with a mutual friend in West Philly. They were the only white boys in the joint, and when the lights went down, the patrons who were dressed to the nines, let the Collie flow. Now these guys were in tees and jeans, and afraid they would get caught lighting a joint in the place. Imagine? Relieved, I believe the smoked said joint and that the Leroy Smart show was one of the best Reggae shows he has seen live. If not for the atmosphere, but for Smart’s music and presence as well. Here’s something I…

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