Whether or Not [Spoken Word]

This poem was originally posted on this blog in March of 2006.



WHETHER OR NOT
By Dr. Roi Guanapo Ankhkara Kwabena [2001]

nicole..jomokie..oma..


whether or not
whether or not,
they thieving, criticizing or politricking
we still thinking 'bout yuh
we still thinking 'bout yuh
we still thinking about yuh...

little hands held this branch,
cold damp river sand,
a path in the bush,
a short denim pants,
one side of slippers….

here the sting has left the nettle
the police don’t have enough vehicles
…the sea-lots residents shouldn’t
have to bathe by the jetty

quarter pound of butter, get a trim
go to the pharmacy, meet mammy
by the junction
go to church, coming back
from by daddy, don’t forget
to buy my cigarettes, milk an’ eggs
for the macaroni pie, two pound of onions

be there racial harmony..
a hindu hegemony or
a split in the ruling party..

here the sting has left the nettle..
the police don’t have enough vehicles,
wrought-iron burglar proofing, can’t stem
this tide of hunting corbeaux….

security guards are underpaid
over-worked an’ trigger happy
we still thinking 'bout yuh
we still thinking 'bout yuh

whether or not
whether or not
i’m a hindu or a muslim
whether or not
whether or not
ah is a catholic or a baptist
we still thinking 'bout yuh,
we still thinking 'bout yuh

whether or not
whether or not
the prime minister move back
to whitehall or they call
ah snap elections
we still thinking 'bout yuh
we still thinking 'bout yuh…

…whether or not
whether or not
the army and the police
stage road blocks every day
we still thinking 'bout yuh
we still thinking 'bout yuh…

even though workers protest
for better conditions an pay
as distraught families must
muster the energy to face the press
we still thinking 'bout yuh
we still thinking 'bout yuh…

nicole..oma..lloyd..jomokie..charlotte
whether or not
whether or not,
they praying, quarrelling,
preaching or politricking
we still thinking 'bout yuh
we still thinking 'bout yuh…

i thought i heard you suggest
kidnapping, stabbing
and shooting was a part
of day to day living

whether or not
whether or not
they sell out the peoples’ patrimony
is 'bout time
they bloody well do
something
about our infants disappearing

we still thinking 'bout yuh
we still thinking 'bout yuh
we still thinking about yuh...

..............................................................................................................................
"Patria est communis omnium parens" - Our native land is the common parent of us all. Keep it beautiful, make it even more so.

Blessed is all of creation
Blessed be my beautiful people
Blessed be the day of our awakening
Blessed is my country
Blessed are her patient hills.

Mweh ka allay!
Guanaguanare