Kamau Brathwaite - Calypso lyrics

1 The stone had skidded arc'd and bloomed into islands: Cuba and San Domingo Jamaica and Puerto Rico Grenada Guadeloupe Bonaire curved stone hissed into reef wave teeth fanged into clay white splash flashed into spray Bathsheba Montego Bay bloom of the arcing summers... 2 The islands roared into green plantations ruled by silver sugar cane sweat and profit cutla** profit islands ruled by sugar cane And of course it was a wonderful time a profitable hospitable well-worth-you-time when captains carried receipts for rices letters spices wigs opera gla**es swaggering a**es debtors vices pigs O it was a wonderful time an elegant benevolent redolent time-- and young Mrs. P.'s quick irrelevant crine at four o'clock in the morning... 3 But what of black Sam with the big splayed toes and the shoe black shiny skin? He carries bucketfulls of water 'cause his Ma's just had another daughter. And what of John with the European name who went to school and dreamt of fame his boss one day called him a fool and the boss hadn't even been to school... 4 Steel drum steel drum hit the hot calypso dancing hot rum hot rum who goin' stop this bacchan*lling? For we glance the banjoy dance the limbo grow our crops by maljo have loose morals gather corals father out neighbour's quarrels perhaps when they come with their cameras and straw hats: sacred pink tourists from the frozen Nawth we should get down to those white beaches where if we don't wear breeches it becomes an island dance Some people doin' well while others are catchin' hell o the boss gave our Johnny the sack though we beg him please please to take 'im back so now the boy nigratin' overseas...