Wheneva mama left for de market to buy de veggies an bread,
She beat words in me head like road–march “I don’t care weh you ah go be ….
But ah don’t want you unda dat Mango tree. Yuh see hoo much man dung day?
Is a whole fleet… waiting pan you like a piece a meat! Tek heed young child is fu you own good!”
Den she’d leave, apparently tinking ah understood.
I’d look up an dong, mek sure she garn, den poor me who did neva go school,
Went running dong like a fool.
Kenny Brown, de bwoy from town, tell me him like fu see me and he’d be me boyfren if, today, me gee he de honey.
When I arrived many boys weren’t there, was jus Kenny, big-John, Curtis and wan case a beer.
After my first two bottles a dis same beer, I couldn’t memba de days’ date, or even de year.
Ah felt real giddy an smood, an Kenny told me “girl you’re in the perfect mood”.
“For what” I asked but he didn’t say, all ah see Curtis an big-John clear out de way an lef me, Kenny and de Mango tree.
De last ting a cyan memba was de smile pan Kenny face as he took me lower garments out a place.
Ah woke up in paralyzing pain, an pan me pretty likkle pink skirt was a big red stain.
De smile pan Kenny’s’ face spelled delight an de look in he eye was pure spite.
“Am afraid we can’t be together” he dryly said, den walk way widout even turning his head.
Dat night mama beat me black an blue, as she screamed at me ‘me nah warn you!’
Ah soon found out Kenny left for town, his friends say he lef widout a sound.
Now nobody knows me secret but mama an me, an yes of course de mango tree.
BIO: Michaela Harris is a 15 year old fourth form student from the Antigua Girls High School. She describes herself as hardworking, talented and optimistic; and said she enjoys reading, as well as writing poetry and sometimes short stories. Her narrative poem Secret of de Mango Tree –based, she said, on her observation of peers
concerning sexual relations with the opposite sex – earned her second spot in the 13 to 17 age category of the 2013 Wadadli Pen Challenge. Fortunes vary year to year in Wadadli Pen but having stepped up from the short list in 2012 to making the age category finals this year is a step in the right direction for this young writer.”I am very grateful for this competition because it provides grounds for me to share something I love with others,” said Michaela.
Please respect the writer’s copyright; do not use or alter without permission.
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