Trinidad & Tobogo Poems

[Zoley!]

Mammie's Coo-coo and Callaloo

Every Sunday
Mammie cook coo-coo and callaloo.

Sometimes, there's
peas and rice and salt-beef stew;

I don't know what I would do
without Mammie's coo-coo and callaloo.

Sometimes there's
chicken with pumkin and dasheen too;

I don't know what I would do
without Mammie's coo-coo and callaloo.

Sometimes there's
pelau, and on the side spicy manicou;

I don't know what I would do
without Mammie's coo-coo and callaloo.

Sometimes there's
poun plantain with curried cascadoo;

I don't know what I would do
without Mammie's coo-coo and callaloo.

Mmmmm, mmmmm I would like some now.
Would you like some too
of Mammie's coo-coo and callaloo?

Yeeeeeeesssssss!!!

I don't know what I would do
without Mammie's coo-coo and callaloo.

- John Lyons, Trinidad and Tobago

[BMGrip]

How Do I Love Thee ........
Trini Style

Let me count the ways ....
You are the essence in my mauby
De fish in my fishcakes
I love you love you dearly
You are the lardoil in my bakes.
You are the coconut in my sweetbread
De pigtail in my rice
Just like piece of curry goat head
I will love you till I dead.
You are the sardine in my gravy
The dumplings in my soup
I love you more than gambling
Yes I love you bad fah true
Like banana leaf around my conkie
I'll be always close to you
Sweet like sugar in your green tea
I'll do anything for you.
You are the sauce around my Cou Cou
Hot like sweetbread when it done
In my arms I love to hold you
Just like a glass a rum
I will stick to you like dandruff
Like the corns upon your toes
Like the fat around your belly
I'll be everywhere you go.
Cause you are my black pudding
And I know I am your souse
When you call I will coming running
Like when a boar cat see a mouse
Oh my pepper on my pork chop
Sweet like sorrel when it mix
When my hands caress your body
You feel just like a couple-six
You are sweeter than a snowcone
I will give you all I own
You are sweeter than a hambone
Soft and sweet like piece'o'pone
No one can take me from you
Not in this life or death
My Trini girl I love you

-Miguel Browne

I love you baby.

[BMGrip]

The Dancer

by Paul Keens-Douglas

©copyright Paul Keens-Douglas



Poised like a startled dove,

That for a second scans the world,

Then darts away to safety,

You waver in a vision of light,

Shimmering, flowing motion.

Your graceful form brings life

To spaces that were before you empty,

And for a moment I fly with you,

On the wings of your grace,

And seem to touch the outer limits of life,

Feeling the freedom of your body

Coursing through my veins,

And I am one with you,

My eyes binding me like chains

To the very motion of your body,

And when you dance, I dance.

The feeling comes to hold you

To catch this thing of grace,

But some things are of the world,

To blow free in the sunlight,

Bringing silent joy to the many

Who pause to watch and wonder.

So dance, dance, the dancer,

Soar above the troubles of the earth,

And I - we - will dance with you,

And live, for a brief moment,

In the magic spell, the joy


Of your graceful motion . . . . . . . . .


This is for all you ladies and of course for my special lady. I love you all.

[Tastee]

How do I love thee... I will love you till Im dead. Were did find that poem its sounds just like you. I LOVED IT!!!! I loved both of them. kissess hmmmm wha!! :)

[Kitten]

Congratulation! :) ;)

[Tastee]

I found these poems for all you and specially for you Kitten and hope you will enjoy your new home and I wish you werent going. but you have to move on as you say. So here some poems from Trinidad!! Big Up Trini people!!!!!


Hilda Bynoe

from "I woke at Dawn"

©copyright Hilda Bynoe 1996

Woman Destiny
Woman busy

Busy as a honey bee

Flitting around

Doing something

Always something

Different somethings

Never nothing

Always something

Big Voose

She makin' big voose, oui

An saying

How she go leave de man

Only big talk, oui

She ent goin' no place

She 'fraid wo'k too much


Her Tears Must Never Flow
And the snake tempted the Woman.

Lucifer, chief Prince of devils

Gave an apple to the woman.

Stupid and greedy, she ate it.

The woman took a bite of the apple

And handed the rest to the man,

Or so the story goes

Woe unto the woman !

Blamed for Adam's sin. She

Must be brave for herself

And for the sons of Adam. Brave

She must never be sad

Her tears must never flow

Never be seen to flow

She must keep on laughing

And smiling, even when her heart

Is breaking, she must keep right on

Smiling, looking happy, looking jolly.

Nobody wants to know

About her aching, breaking heart

Not even those she loves the most

They, least of all, can bear to know

Woman no longer wants to laugh

Nor even wants to smile.

Woman needs to weep and to bawl

With pain - body pain and soul pain

Psychic pain; much worse future pain

And thoughts of all the coming pain

Daughter of Eve. Woman

And still paying for Adam's sin

Must keep right on smiling

Laughing, with heart bursting with grief

Her tears must never flow - Never

Ever be seen to flow

By those who love her most
The ones she loves the most.

Women's Lib

Out of man's rib

Man has made her.

Creature less than himself, Woman

Nothing more than rib.

No power to think, to act

Independent of the Man ?




"Liberation", says the Woman

"We demand liberation

Equality and Independence

Freedom of action. Respect.

We want liberation," says the Woman

"And with all the good old-fashioned

Courtesies. Gentlemen

Standing back and letting us pass

Taking our arms

Helping us to cross the street

Waiting on the deck of the burning ship

(Women and children first).

This is what we want

And deserve", Says the woman.

The liberated woman.

Woman's Lib - Bloody rib !

Says the man.

Woman believing so ?

"Not on your bloody life. "

Says the Woman

Liberated woman