Jamaican Elegy For An Intellectual (Rex. R. Nettleford) Prelude
I have seen this river swell mighty
Like a woman with fetus near to come
I have seen it lift its burden heavy
Cottaless and laughing in its kingdom
But to today is a different rainy day
Nothing wash the brown of sorrows away
O hear the river lament in its clay
For its son, its only son has passed away
I have seen this river in tropic glee
Dancing down the mountain in childhood
Pushing back the angry colonial sea
O nothing could compare to its manhood
But today is a different rainy day
Sorrow is a hurricane in the fish pool
Where his eloquence held lofty sway
Our favored son, our star bright mule
O my heart too carries sorrow like a river
He was model, mentor, brother keeper
My island's best gold when love was silver
In sun or moon, or sweet translucent water
I hear abeng wailing, jon kunno bawling
O today is a different rainy day
Mframadan come down your pole crawling
Weep with us, weep with Martha Brae
Did you hear this Rex talk, or see him dance
Did you know this scholar, this special son
Did you sit in his class and dream in trance
With this son, the Shaman of the olive sun?
O today is a different rainy day
Today is the day of tears and broken heart
I want to hear the drums of Martha Brae
Weeping in Kumina where the waters part.
Copyright © L'Nass Shango | Year Posted 2010
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