Nostalgia

You came to wander,

And yet all you can do is wonder

How tall the mango tree home has become.

You remember sitting under that tree,

And you remember thinking of the far away places

Which would set your heart afire.

You were sure.

You came to sit on the edge of the Earth,

Surrounded by those things that you

Read about, or saw on TV.

And all you can think about

Are the pieces.

The pieces of yourself,

That you dusted off under that

Red sky that stretched out like a tent on fire,

Underneath that mango tree.

You wait.

The moon hangs,

Silent and watchful,

And cold. 

You never knew that the moon could be cold.

The stars 

You watch,

Because you know you should watch. 

But you know that

None of them

Will put you together again.

Lalin Bel (The Moon is Beautiful)

                              - Waiting for the moon - Mayaro, Trinidad

Lalin Bel

Watch her.

Watch how she hangs

In the eastern sky.

Watch how she sits coldly,

And quietly,

On the frosted window sill.

Look at her and know

That you are no longer looking out

Toward the cold, grumbling river

Of the so called old world,

But that you are now seeing reflections

From wilder waters.

Lalin Bel

It is she who holds the memories of the

Warm, rough seas that beat against

A rugged island.

Do you remember?

Do you remember when she

First came out of the sea?

Remember how she pushed

Her milky head out of the

Pitch lake ocean,

And how she sat on the water’s edge?

The fiery stars were there too,

Brushed across the inky dome

Like glittering sand.

Now,

Look.

Watch how she covers her face

With wispy, frosted clouds.

Watch how she hides herself in shame.

Lalin Bel

They too bathed in the pitch lake sea,

And they too made fires burn bright

On the cool, starry sand.

Do you remember?

Do you remember the pearls in the sky

And the pearls in their eyes?

Do you remember

The sound of the bats

Flapping in the shady trees

And the squeaking of their feet

On the cool powdery shores?

Lalin Bel

Please,

Zanmi mwen,

Tell me that you remember.

Tell me that you remember the cracking

And the popping of the

dry coconut husks.

Remember,

The thick ashy smoke

That flushed the buzzing mosquitos

Out of the houses.

The driftwood that went up in flames

of deep reds, and yellows,

And blues.

Lalin Bel

Remember how they woke the next morning,

Remember how the sun was harsh and

How it burnt their eyes.

Remember how the fires had burnt down to ash and how

The sea had carried away their castles.

Now,

It is only shadows that dance

On the chip-chipped shore.

Now,

The rough sea

Swallows the stars.

And now,

 The wind skims lightly

Over the ocean’s oily face.

----

Their laughter was pure that night,

                                                                                                                                  

 But it was swept away

By the breeze.

Wi, 
Zanmi mwen,

 Lalin bel, bel, bel.

Audio Recording of Lalin Bel (in Patois)

"Who doh hear, does feel"

- Trini Proverb

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Rules

Reach here as fast as you can. The good food runs out quickly.

Buy the corn soup when they make it. I telling you, these people here know how to make soup. Buy the lime juice. Buy the lasagna. Don’t buy the stew fish. It tastes good but it has plenty pepper, and you know how you white people can’t handle pepper. The toilets real nasty in this place. Wait until you go home to use the toilet. But remember to bring your own toilet paper for when you don’t listen to me and go ahead and eat the stew fish. Your father told me how stubborn you can be.

Don’t call anyone by their first name. Don’t step on anyone’s shoes. Put your head on the table if you want to take a little sleep during lunch. Just be careful. You never know what kind of things people looking to steal in this place.  If somebody asks you to borrow a dollar, lend it to them. You know how you white people can be. Don’t start no fights. Don’t involve yourself in what don't concern you. Don’t give the prefects any backchat. Remember, they still allowed to beat children in this place.

Don’t ever let them catch you reading magazines in here. They even take away car magazines. What? What you mean you don’t know any thing about cars? Well, boy, now I really know why your father wanted me to talk to you.  

They have a window upstairs that looks straight into the girl’s school across the road. Don’t let me catch you going up there though. Remember, you not a big man yet, and I don’t want you getting beat on your first day. 

Don’t wear too much jewlery. Don’t talk during prayers. Never kick ball inside the cafeteria. Two boys got suspended last year for that kind of behaviour. What? What you mean you don’t play football? Well, how the hell you expect to make friends in this place? What you say? You mean to tell me you now starting to get nervous? Boy, shut your mouth and bow your head. The lunch prayer starting.

Oh Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.