Lyrics

Brathwaite's reading of this poem can be heard on SoundCloud, via the audio player (above right) or by opening this annotation Wake1Ship house on the water I salute you I am a bale of straw swish of your cask's laughter darkest cling of the gudgeon there are shadows about me eyes like mine pores sweating fears like mine souring wine wind carves the shape of the journey sculpture of sails is softer than a stone along the dolphin's trail of cloud there is no native land there is no grey on the sea with wind there is no grey in the sky with rain there is no sky to fall down on no hill to run up to and no night with its swimmers of whiteness it was all so sudden it was all so very sudden when your spirit said I am going away I am gone may your journey now be straight going may your road be a peaceful one and on arrival if someone should ask you how you left us we on these islands with their lockets of grief say that you left us eyes still closed fists still curled bones still lapped with milk you know the rock's teeth you know the pathways leaking up from the beaches you know the wall with its cracks frangi-pani blossoms grave of the soldiers tales of the sandbox tree may your journey now be straight going may your road be a peaceful one and on arrival tell our never-returning ancestors of old that now they have left us the land is unbearably dry let there be rain tell our never-returning grandfathers of old that the houses are damp, the verandahs are cold with the wind weeping in from the sea that the hedges are dusty, that the tubes of the cane are dry let there be rain. Go, be a beneficent spirit and return to us in the morning let the cock know when you are around crow loudly, royal-headed bugle of the corn let your wings embarrass the shadows lengthening for us may your journey now be straight going may your road be a peaceful one and on the ninth night staring out of the moon's wrath of flies wounds uncovered, toothless gaps gaping to mouth the drilled flesh will begin to speak out of the dark I will call you my warned dead Ibo cane-cutter priest of my silent bread bless me with shadows white calico of mutters; mother me with words, gems, spoken talismans of your broken tongue I am your squat young confidence again though the air breathes nettles; sing, cutlass edge of rain, kill, destroy, restore me the mud of dark breeds lilies crabs eyes rise over the cisterns of ruins voices take on flesh and the flesh, stripped by the sun's rod, by the slaver's rod, by the gumboots of conquerors, hardens to spirits that will not be revealed Att Att Attibon Attibon Legba Attibon Legba Ouvri bayi pou' moi Amen Ouvri bayi pou' moi 2Amen to the world of eyes Amen Amen Amen I say to blue skies frolics the skin stained with wet colour the waves breaking in her flesh. Amen to the world of eyes I say Amen to hard edges certainties to what your hands must hold. Welcome the world of the blind I say the world of the deaf of the dumb. Welcome the closed eye broken eardrum the dreamer. Amen to the world of lips I say teeth touching yes cheeks smiling. Welcome this touch that will not reach you words that will teach you nothing. Welcome the Word. For the Word is love and has been absent from our butterflies. For the Word is peace and is absent from our streets. Where is the love when you build the thunder's mansions? Where is the peace when you are never alone? Islands islands stone stripped from stone pebbles empty shells chapels of broken windows no one calls here on the Sunday sand. For the Word has been destroyed and cannot live among us look how your agates glitter look what your snakes conceal. When I was hungry, you fed me books, Daniel's dungeons now I am thirsty, you would stone me with syllables. We seek we seek but find no one to speak the words to save us; search there is no destination; our prayers reach no common sun no sum no good beyond our gods of righteousness and mammon.