Mango Head
“Head,” Alvin Marriott, 1955
Why yu always ask stupid question, ee?
The man call mango head because him head
shape like mango. What do yu anyway?
Yu come in with yu long face, gwyan
with yu sufferation parade. Yu nuh see
yu must either pick up yuself or put down
what yu cayn carry? Gal, is time
past time yu learn fi ban yu belly.
Is only when yu young yu can afford
fi believe the earth start spinning
when you, missus, did step pon it. Cho. Things
always been hard, mi love, and if you cyan
squinch-up yuself, at least you can try fi hear
what I telling yu: none of we invent the story.
Source: Poetry (April 2025)