Jamaican Poetry: Jamaican Parent and Child

By: Denise N. Fyffe. Copyright © 2012, Poetess Defy, Denise N. Fyffe Me as a woman so strong and divine, Will tek care of my picknie, with love and time Me as a woman bold and free, I am ashamed, I don’t want my picknie doing manual work, Like me. Tough love I know, tough…

I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou

The free bird leaps on the back of the wind and floats downstream till the current ends and dips his wings in the orange sun rays and dares to claim the sky. But a bird that stalks down his narrow cage can seldom see through his bars of rage his wings are clipped and his…

Jamaican Poetry: Mi god, what a heat

By: Denise N. Fyffe. Copyright © 2012, defy, Denise N. Fyffe Mi god, what a heat; Di temperature gaan up and mi can feel nuh breeze. Dis yah hurricane effect jus a linger sah, Mi days dem miserable an di night dem wussarah. Mi god, what a heat; Everytime six o’clock come me vex. Mi…

Jamaican Poetry: Woman and Mother (For International Women’s Day)

By: Denise N. Fyffe. Copyright © 2011, Poetess Defy, Denise Fyffe Sometimes she forgets herself And forget what she is worth She steeps low, giving more than she can afford; She is the mule you pass on your way Shouldering a burden That she has been left alone, to face; She is the cornerstone in…

Jamaican Poetry: Is Jamaica due this?

By: Denise N. Fyffe. Is Jamaica due this? Crime and violence, Is like saliva on our lips; Are we so jaded and blind in the eye That we have basked In the rays of corruption, all this time; Is Jamaica due this? The shootings and killings, To the world we have been remiss; All has…

Still I Rise by Maya Angelou

You may write me down in history With your bitter, twisted lies, You may trod me in the very dirt But still, like dust, I'll rise. Does my sassiness upset you? Why are you beset with gloom? 'Cause I walk like I've got oil wells Pumping in my living room. Just like moons and like…

Phenomenal Woman by Maya Angelou

Pretty women wonder where my secret lies. I'm not cute or built to suit a fashion model's size But when I start to tell them, They think I'm telling lies. I say, It's in the reach of my arms The span of my hips, The stride of my step, The curl of my lips. I'm…

Alone by Maya Angelou

Lying, thinking Last night How to find my soul a home Where water is not thirsty And bread loaf is not stone I came up with one thing And I don't believe I'm wrong That nobody, But nobody Can make it out here alone. Alone, all alone Nobody, but nobody Can make it out here…

Woman Work by Maya Angelou

I've got the children to tend The clothes to mend The floor to mop The food to shop Then the chicken to fry The baby to dry I got company to feed The garden to weed I've got shirts to press The tots to dress The cane to be cut I gotta clean up this…

Dutty Tough by Louise Bennett

Dutty Tough - by Louise Bennett Sun a shine but tings no bright; Doah pot a bwile, bickle no nuff; River flood but water scarce, yawl Rain a fall but dutty tough. Tings so bad dat nowadays when Yuh ask smaddy how dem do Dem fraid yuh tek it tell dem back, So dem no…