Thoughts of a Jamaican Christmas

THOUGHTS OF A JAMAICAN CHRISTMAS I remember Christmas of yesteryear Of John Canoe dancing with fife and drum Horsehead would approach, it was scary but fun And Scrippy scrappy looked like a real bum Of Christmas breeze and Poinsettias red Mixed with white Euphorbias in the flower bed A visit to Nathans for cloth to make dresses And drop curls all round my head for my tresses I liked going downtown on Christmas Eve Where the bustle of King Street was hard to believe With balloons and horns, and pretty hats to choose And noisy rattles to drive our parents to booze Vendors lined the sidewalks their offerings laid bare There were shouts for attention but nothing to fear Next came a visit to Dixon’s Toy Shop Where I didn’t want the choosing to stop. Christmas Carols rang out through the air Then at church the next morning with voices clear Back home we were greeted with eggnog, and were free To open our presents that were under the tree At Christmas dinner our relatives we’d see As the Miller clan gathered it was exiting for me There was exchange of gifts and the joy of giving It was really a great and wonderful feeling The food was a spread of delectable flavors Of turkey, rice and peas, sweet potato and lamb Ackee and salt fish, roast beef, salad and ham And I just can’t forget the Cranberry jam The variety was great, too many to mention And the carving of the turkey got everyone’s attention But best of all was the sorrel, Christmas pudding or cake Which gave us kids a chance to get tipsy or flake. At night we brought out our starlights and clappers The boys would light thunderbolts and we would run backwards These memories are happy, in my mind they will stay And I blend them with those we are experiencing today. Winsome Miller-Rowe