Jamaican Poems

Social Climbing- by Louise Bennett

Shet up yuh mout an tap de nize!
Yu tink yuh grievance strong
Because yuh never get de chance
Fi jine de dress-puss gang?

Stop jump an kick an bawl an gwaan
Like Chigger-fly dah bite yuh
Yuh hooda tun big poppy show
Ef dem did go invite yuh!

For yuh no got no scissors-tail-
Coat an top hat fi wear,
An de waistcoat grampa dead lef
Nyamy-nyamy up an tear!

Moresoever, koo yuh head top
How it shape like big seed pear!
Wha yu tink yuh hooda favour
Eena dem-deh kine a gear?
A no piaw-piaw tings did outa
Big church Sunday mawnin gawn.
Me never see more nose-veil
An han-stockin from me bawn!

Church yard wasa play dress circle.
It was jus like dress parade --
More plastic boot an jersey frock!
More embroidery an braid!

All de mout-dem dah put awn de
scritchy-scrutchy high class walk!
All de foot-dem dah try out de
Scripsy-scroopsy high class walk!

When de breeze dah meck fi blow weh hat,
Gloves han pon head dah cotch it;
Nose veil dah tickle up nose, an
Glove finger-dem dah scratch it!

Yuh waan see Matty Walla-lef
An Mary Halfa-brick
Wid Sweetie Charles dah roll him eye
An wheel him walkin stick!

So stop shoot off yuh mout bout bout how
Parson did out fi spite yuh,
An calm yuhself an praise de Lawd
Dem never did invite yuh!
Ay ya yie!