Mrs. Braithwaite’s Christmas – A Jamaican Short Story
Miriam Braithwaite opened the door of the black Mercedes and slid comfortably onto the smooth leather seat. She turned the key and listened as the engine purred softly. Just then the gardener appeared and released the latch on the giant ivy-covered iron gate. Mrs. Braithwaite smiled and waved at the old man. In a moment […]
A Jamaican Christmas Letter from Abroad
Dear Mama, Long time me noh write y’u, but noh worri y’u self me dear, A true things did mawga wid me…lately, it bettah now a days. Cousin Thelma get a lickle roast fe me …A de place wey she a wuck, Now me a big time 4man, in a suit jacket, tie and shut. […]
Confusion
I come to confuse you. A Jamaican Part Ind-dyan Half American With a little “Native” on the side Can chat with the best a dem Or twang when mi feel like. I come to confuse you. To shake up your sense of reality and nationhood A Jamaican But Muslim Wearing hijab Eating ackee one day […]
Consciousness Is A Must
…consciousness is a must righteousness is like a dust peace they must have their belly must be full them treat them like fools them never went to school them have no tools them brothers cool down in Africa they suffering poverty is threatening the epidemic is spreading but aint nobody is watching. they dont understand […]
A Failure to Communicate – Letters from a Jamaican in China
In the process of arguing over the price of toilet bowls (someone had asked me to research) my friend Echo and I were interrupted by my phone ringing. It was my Chinese-American friend asking if I wanted to meet him for lunch. This was a good thing because Echo’s price for translating for me was […]
Freedom
And the caged bird Soared to freedom O what joy and strength And power she feels As she is set free From that which imprisoned her With wings outstretched With face upturned into the winds She ascends to new heights Of her destiny Her heart is glad Her joy complete Her Father laughs At what […]
My last Jamaican girl poem
As my eyes waterMy dreams of love, turn to fearThe closer we get, the farther I want to beI can’t take a chance of being hurt again I am not that strongWhen I fall in love, I give you my heart to holdI leave myself vulnerible, trust I depend on youIf you ever let go, […]
Sickness is…. – Letters from a Jamaican in China
Sickness is…. Anyone who has spent at least 4 months in China has or will eventually have to deal with an illness. There are 2 that are common to foreigners: the respiratory flu and the stomach virus. But make no mistake these are not the simple-go-to-the-pharmacy and buy some medication illnesses, they are the kind […]
Cat Fight: A Report on the War Between Women
Reflections of an Island Girl “Woman to woman is Bitch.” Sadly enough the only thing that struck me when I first heard those words was the fact that they were uttered by a man. Growing up in a family with a bounty of women, I was well accustomed to the bickering, backbiting and backstabbing that […]
Jamaican Childhood
Dem yah school pickeney nowadays Nuh know wah childhood mean, Aftarall dem have all sorta computa And calculata machine. Memba in days gone by When wi haffi count wid icicle stick? Memba how much tamarind seed u did haffi save Fi cyarry bright bright Monday mawnin fi avoid gettin lick? Grade 1 wi learn […]