Jamaica, No Problem

Tonight from our distant, foreign shore Tonight where the waves of Florida splash the shore Tonight, like children hunger for a mother's breast Tonight, Jamaica, your lore abates the stress. And the children in the yard playing there Hide and seek in the guinea grass Find there life no problem there. Jamaica, no problem! O Jamaica, We were down by the jetty in a far away place And I saw the tides roll in And crash their nightmares on stones We were lonely and for therapy we traced Our footsteps over childhood, recalling you there Pastor had a need to rebel Against the routine certainty of life here The bills and doldrums that bog men feet He told the sailor jokes The ones that make the pulpit pale I told riddles The thins my entire life has been up against But I did not hear her laugh Like this before, referring to his wife here The poor dear was drawn taut like a bow The arrow aimed within I figure anansi could make her snap the string Tonight on the jetty, Jamaica, you are king It is not just the pepper pot Not just the bammy, irish moss and fish It is not just the rain unstoppable in May Yellow corn dumplings and caroline cow peas It is the navel string That leash our manhood and our heart The indelible glory of your beauty That make us climb the mountain singing To sit in the blue haze and dream with clouds The reason we say whether in hurricanes, or earthquake, or death Jamaica, no problem! Jamaica, no problem While yard is on our minds tonight The moon came and sulk at our delight Jamaica, no problem, your children are alright.