Something is happening there now
I know it, I can hear the lane full
Of children's voices, the lowing cow
Tramples on the peanut hull,
But not that, not that common routine
And not the buckets sitting still
On the kottas, nor Lawford in the ravine
And his cart rumbling up the hill
Not the blowing horn of the coming bus
And children running from far away
To reach the schoolhouse through the dust
Before the bus passes them in delay
Something is happening there, I know
I can hear the dogs barking now
And there among them my Benbow
Midst sticks supplied by the wounded bough
The mongoose will not escape today
Melbourne is putting fire in the pingwing patch
And I am here so far away
Now that my hens can lay and hatch
O deep in my blood, Jamaica is calling
Her golden breast foams in the mouth of the sea
And blue her mountains rise in the morning
Deep in her arms I long to be.
Does Dudley still shimmy down a coconut trunk
And Lawford still drives the cart their drunk
Does Melveta still hide under the orange boughs
For Melbourne's coming and his fumbling vows
Does Clifford still bake the aromatic bread hot
And Addy stir thick peas soup or pepperpot
Does Jabez still the cut logwood forest all day
To make the limekiln that brings crowd from far away
And where is Verletta whom my childhood loved
And where is Verletta whom my childhood loved
That Salmon from the Mountainside pond is gone
But I am sure the sun rise there still bright at dawn.
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