Long Hopelonging Poems

Indelible

The cock of day crow over johncrow mountain
Sun come bright
Like Jane and Louise shine eye girl
And light
Just drop from heaven like ripe breadfruit
I pull the darkness from my eyes
And look and see only one thing on my mind
Always like bulla cake and pear
Always like coconut run-down and corn dumpling
Always like bammy, fish and irishmoss
My heart hungry like a jackass groan
I love you ackee and slatfish
The culture like a hook in human flesh
Making genes only the limit of the mesh
I love you sweet potato pone,
Lord, I cry for a kiss, oxygen from a wish
You indelible in my head like a Christmas dish
But I groaning for something different
Something that no cock can crow away
Something the same night and day
Something smooth as otaheite apple juice
Tart as pineapple and sweet
It is my custard apple memory
A tropic fire in my bones
A writing I can't rub out
Indelible thoughts of you
Like cock crow clocking in my brain
A dream swimming in the delirum of pain
I love you like swallow love the rain

And here I am waiting for you
Long morning light
Here I am longing for you
To come online
And as the time goes away
The pain grow big like root
Dig up my bowels with wondering
Lean me on the crutch of constant praying
Indelible you
Indelible pain
Indelible prayer
Indelible love remain