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 When I was a child
 my Grand mummy,
 showed me
 the market street.
 Everyone knew her name.


                      I gazed at her white teeth
                      when she laughed and joked.
                      Eyes glowed with delight
                      Like a child in a playground
                      And everyone spoke the same
                      Language of reminisce.

                      "Snappa!"
                      Sweet potato, Mango,
                      Saltfish, Coco.
                      Yellow yam, Green banana.
                      Dasheen, Chow Chow.
                      "Hot Pepper!"
                      Ackee ripe and Plaintain long.

                      A familiar place.
                      The market place, where Mummy belonged.

                      Mummy garn.
                      She garn
                      She garn
                      Yet, I can still feel her warm breath of home.
                      Lawd mi shiver.
                      Wen de mist speak to me,
                      a kiss of presence, smoothed across my face.
                      "Yu nuh hear it?" She whispered,
                      "Yuh nuh hear yu voice?
                      It’s your place at the market now.
                      Knowledge your son with the right foods.
                      Go! The veg man a wait fi yu."

                      "Snappa!
                      Sweet potato, Mango,
                      Saltfish, Coco.
                      Yellow yam, Green banana.
                      Dasheen, Chow Chow.
                      Hot Pepper!
                      Ackee ripe and Plaintain long.
                      Come get yu veg,
                      Come eat yu veg
                      Yu mummy seh, it will mek yu strong."

                      © Miss Marcia Calame, 2006 (all rights reserved)