Biting into poetry
Beryl Clarke, Contributor

Recently, I got the feeling that you, our bright, confident, young Jamaicans, are not as fearful of poetry as others used to be in the past. Yes, some of your peers have made that plain to me through their positive attitude and their mastery of questions given to them, as well as their many entries in the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission's literary competition. It comes as no surprise to me because haven't you been saying, singing and rocking to poetry since you were infants? Take a trip down memory lane with me, please.

Baa, baa black sheep
Have you any wool?
Yes, sir, yes, sir,
Three bags full
One for my master
One for my dame
And one for the little boy
Who lives down the lane.

All things bright and beautiful,
All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful,
The Lord God made them all.

Little Miss Muffet
Sat on a tuffet
Eating her curds and whey
Down came a spider
And sat down beside her
And frightened Miss Muffet away.

Think you're in heaven, but ya living in hell;
Think you're in heaven, but ya living in hell;
Think you're in Heaven, but yu living in hell;
Time alone - oh, time will tell:
Yu think you're in heaven, but you living in hell.

If yuh bright den yuh got de right to education.

Mi full up mi purse wid money,
Dem tief it weh from me.
Mi full up mi belly wid food
As mi sneeze mi feel hungry.
Mi full up mi brain wid learning,
Wid sense an knowledge gran,
Mi feel relief not a tief can tief
Mi education!
Chile, if yu got ambition,
No matta how yu poor
Nutten can keep yuh down now
Dere's free schoolin galore!

Wid one step bram bram into
De bes' school in de lan
To qualify an tun boasify
Wid education!

Mas Joseph tun foot nephew,
Jane twis-mout gal Ritty,
Tata daughter a study fe University.
Dem countenance not handsome,
Dem station is not gran,
Dem clothes a wreck
But dem brains can tek
EDUCATION!

Now, we began with a nursery rhyme, went to the chorus of a well-known children's and young people's hymn, returned to a nursery rhyme, spent a little time with Bob Marley and ended with a Miss Lou poem. Did you have fun? I do hope so!

Isn't it wonderful that as a people we find it easy to write lyrics? Much of the music that you enjoy started as poetry. Somebody puts pen to paper and expresses feelings, thoughts, ideas, hopes, dreams, fears, praise and adoration. Then, either that same person or someone else creates appropriate music for the words. We sing and enjoy the words and some of us claim afterwards that we don't like poetry. Well, my intention is that as we go through the year, you will come to love biting into this fruit and extracting all the delicious juice that will run down your chin from it as you chew the delectable lyrical flesh!

The first thing I want you to do at this point is to write a short poem, about 12 lines. Write on any topic you choose. After all, poems are written about any and everything - war, water, babies, school, religion, clothes, books, poetry, dogs, cats, rats, horses, the moon, the wind, the sun, shoes, eyes, lips, fruits, flowers and, of course, love! Remember, you are as qualified to write poetry as anyone.

Poems written by pre-teens and teenagers have been published and have been well received by the public. Spend time on this piece of work. Use your creativity, then exchange with your friends and listen to their responses. All may not please you but do not let that crush your spirits. Just remember how many times you have said unkind things about poets whose work you have studied. You will not be setting out to confuse your readers or to make it difficult for them to understand your work, but some will complain and say that is what you have done. When this happens, I hope you will be better able to appreciate the work of the poets whose poems we will be studying.

Poets, like other writers, want to communicate with those who read their poems. They want us to share and get pleasure and benefit from their writing. What you must keep in mind is that a poet uses far fewer words than a novelist or a dramatist/playwright to convey his ideas. Poetry is dense; it is highly condensed with every word and every punctuation being worthy of notice, if you are to enjoy the full flavour. Finally, consider this. Have you ever eaten an East Indian mango? Would you be satisfied just to taste the skin, or a little bite of one side? Don't you want to have it all, including the seed sometimes?

Have a great week and the Lord bless you!

Beryl Clarke is an independent contributor. Send questions and comments to kerry-ann.hepburn@gleanerjm.com

(From left) Stephan Pitterson, Simon Matthews, André Hunt and Russell Nelson look poised to be leaders in the future.