From: Claude McKay, Songs of Jamaica
Me Bannabees
Run ober mango trees,
‘Pread chock to kitchen doo’,
Watch de blue bannabees,
Look how it ben’ down low!
De blossom draw de bees
Same how de soup draw man;
Some call it “broke-pot” peas,
It caan’ bruk we bu’n-pan.
Wha’ sweet so when it t’ick?
Though some call it goat-tud,
Me all me finger lick,
An’ yet no chew me cud.
A mumma plant de root
One day jes’ out o’ fun;
But now look ‘pon de fruit,
See wha’ de “mek fun” done.
I jam de ‘tick dem ‘traight
S’er t’row dung a de root:
Crop time look fe me slow,
De bud tek long fe shoot.
But so de day did come,
I 'crub de bu'n-pan bright,
An' tu'n down 'pon it from
De marnin' till de night.
An' Lard! me belly swell,
No 'cause de peas no good,
But me be'n tek a 'pell
Mo' dan a giant would.
Yet eben after dat
Me nyam it wid a will,
'Causen it me me fat;
So I wi' lub it still
Caan' talk about gungu,
Fe me it is no peas;
Cockstone might do fe you,
Me want me bannabees.
Bannabees: a corruption of
Bonavist, a climbing bean or pea.
Chock: right up
Bu'n-pan: It can't break our
burn-pan--a tall saucepan.
Goat-tud: name of a
poisinous plant, resembling bannabees
Chew me cud: I haven't got
my belly full.
Pod fe
shed: began to spread.
S'er: sister
An t'un down 'pon it: the soup
Me nyam it: I ate.
Caan' talk about gungu: it's
not the least use your talking about
Cockstone: red peas, beans
of