The Limitations of Salt, Sticks and Incantations

By Ateebo

Ah see ah snake go up de tree
Ah ‘fraid de snake come dong fuh we
Ah tell mih wife to tek de baby.
Ah fine ah stick
Ah tek it fast
Ah beat dat snake
An ah break he … ask me no chupid questions.

Ah see ah jumbie fly chu de air
Ah feel mih pores raisin’ mih hair
Ah tell mih wife to tek de baby.
Ah fine some salt
Ah tek it fast
Ah fling it straight
An he bun like grass.

Ah see mih chile eyes start to roll
Ah feel ah madness in mih soul
Ah tell mih wife, "Gi mih de baby!"
Ah fine de Bible
Ah tek it fast
Ah res it 'pon he
An ah make it pass.

Ah hear de gunshots, po, po po
Ah know dem bullets does fly low
Ah tell mih wife to tek de baby.
We fine ah corner
We tek it fast
We cover we ears
An we hope it pass.

Ah feel ah sadness in mih land
Ah dreaming tings ah cyah understand
Ah tell mih wife, "Dey go tek dis baby!"
Ah fine he numbah
Ah call it fast
Mih cousin tell me,
"Go fix yuh pass
port."

Mayombé bombé mayombé
Dem snake have eye like glass.

© 2006 - Ateebo
Reproduced with the kind permission of Ateebo.