Songs of Jamaica (1912)
Me Bannabees
RUN ober mango trees,
‘Pread chock[1] to kitchen doo’,
Watch de blue bannabees,
Look how it ben’ down low!
De blossom draw de bees
Same how de soup draw man;[2]
Some call it “broke-pot” peas,
It caan’ bruk we bu’n-pan.[3]
Wha’ sweet so when it t’ick?[4]
Though some call it goat-tud,[5]
Me all me finger lick,
An’ yet no chew me cud.[6]
A mumma plant[7] de root
One day jes’ out o’ fun;[8]
But now look ‘pon de fruit,
See wha’ de “mek fun”[9] done.
I jam de ‘tick dem ‘traight
Soon as it ‘tart fe ‘pread,[10]
An begin count de date
Fe when de pod fe shed.[11]
Me watch de vine dem grow,
S’er[12] 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[13] from
De marnin’ till de night.
An’ Lard I me belly swell,
No ’cause de peas no good,
But me be’n tek[14] a ‘pell
Mo’ dan a giant would.
Yet eben after dat
Me nyam[15] it wid a will,
‘Causen it mek me fat;
So I wi’ lub it still.
Caan’ talk[16] about gungu,[17]
Fe me it is no peas
Cockstone[18] might do fe you,
Me want me bannabees.
- Right up ↵
- The blossom attracts bees, just as the soup made from the peas attracts man ↵
- It can't break our burn-pan—a tall saucepan ↵
- What is so good as this soup, when it is thick? ↵
- Goat droppings—the name of a poisonous plant, somewhat resembling bannabees ↵
- Because I haven't yet got my belly full: see below ↵
- It was mamma who planted ↵
- With no serious purpose ↵
- To make fun = to trifle ↵
- As soon as it began to spread ↵
- When the pod will be formed ↵
- Sister ↵
- The soup ↵
- Did take ↵
- I ate ↵
- It's not the least use your talking ↵
- Congo peas ↵
- Red peas, French beans ↵