The Things We Say

 

 

The Things We Say

Here I am again

At this Independence time

With as many things we say

That I can find

I am getting old now

And I don’t oft remember

May be ready for a home

Anyone can tender

Can’t pay much though

Just a pensioner you see

I would be very happy

If you could do it for free

Anyway that’s another matter

So to the matter on hand

The things we say

 Child, woman and man

I’ll be there in a jiffy

I’ll be there in a while

I’ll be there in two shakes

Depending on one’s style

I miss the bus

I have to slam tar

Or wait another hour if

The place is too far

They live above us

As opposed to below

I don’t mean upstairs

I mean next door

I know it would happen

I told you so?

Don’t ask me how

I just know

He hasn’t come back yet

But he said he’d be here now

Well now hasn’t come yet

Or he’s here somehow

 

 

The rain is falling

It is really coming down

As though rain could fall up

You must be a clown

I still can’t find it

Though I look everywhere

Maybe you’re blind

That’s why it disappeared

Raise up the radio

So I can hear

Not so you fool

Leave it right there

He’s a real fool

I can’t tell you what he did

Don’t bother to ask

I must keep on the lid

Lend me five dollars

And give me ten

I will pay you back

As soon as you say when

I almost lost it

But then I remembered

Where I had put it

What an adventure!

Tell me I am not seeing

Just what I am seeing

No, he is not doing

What I see him doing

If nothing is coming

After you look up and look down

Pick up your heels

And run a long

Just a little bit more

And he would have had it

Seems almost getting it

Is a daily habit

Are you foolish or what

Which of the two?

Perhaps it is what

If the person is you

I nearly didn’t see it

It was so fast

I almost saw it

By the time it had passed

I would have found it

If I had the time

A watch might have helped

If one I could find

What about “on it do”?

And “ope it in”?

Or “corn to somebody”?

Or even “where you bin”?

He left ever since

By now he should be here

Where can he be?

Certainly not there

More cats and dogs?

Blame it on the rain

Especially if a lot falls

They could be in the drain

Can’t come right now

I’m all tied up

Care for some coffee?

I’ll have a cup

She’s at it again

You know what I mean

She has down here hot

Police on the scene

He’s neither in nor out

I wonder what’s in between

Neither up nor down

That’s a similar scene 

 

Better late than never

Well never it will be

You no longer work here

Ever late and carefree

 

So cold in here

I am freezing

Like I caught a chill

I can’t stop sneezing

I can’t wait to tell you

What I hear

So now you talking to me

Who, when and where?

You hear who dead?

 No, you could tell me who?

I know for sure

It is neither me nor you

When last you saw her?

Not since the last time

When was that?

It gone from my mind

I didn’t feel like cooking

But I had to eat

That embalmed cou-cou

Did taste too sweet

My belly is out

You know what that mean?

Keep far from coconut

Cream cheese and ice cream

Day in day out

We hear these sayings

I hear the hen cackle

It got to be laying

That means scramble egg

Or a couple to fry

Hard-boiled or soft

Or an omelette I could try

I got options

See what I mean?

The hen lay and cackled

But I create the scene

Please teacher I was late

As you can see

It is my mother’s fault

You should beat she

Barbados has five towns

But you only name four

Connell Town in St. Lucy

There you have one more

Would you flog me Sir

For something I didn’t do

I didn’t do my homework

Sir that is true

My time is gone

I have had my say

Here’s wishing you

A happy Independence Day!

Stewart Russell (c) November 2017