Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Colonization in Reverse

Or English girl eats her first mango...

(a kind of love poem by John Agard)


If I did tell she
hold this gold
of sundizzy
tonguelicking juicy
mouthwater flow
ripe with love
from the tropics

she woulda tell me
trust you to be
melodramatic

so I just say
taste this mango

and I watch she hold
the smooth cheeks
of the mango
blushing yellow
and a glow
rush to she own cheeks

and she ask me
what do I know
just bite into it?

and I was tempted
to tell she
why not be a devil
and eat the skin
of the original sin

but she woulda tell me
trust you to be
mysterious

so I would just say
it's up to you
if you want to peel it

and I watch she feels it
as something precious

then she smile and say
looks delicious

and I tell she
don't waste sweet words
when sweetness
in your hand
just bite it man
peel it with the teeth
that God gave you

or better yet
do like me mother
used to do
and squeeze
till the flesh
turns syrup
nibble a hole
then suck the gold
like bubby
in child mouth
squeeze and tease out
every drop of spice

sounds nice
me friend tell me

and I remind she that ain't
apple core
so don't forget
the seed
suck that too
the sweetest part
the juice does run
down to you heart

man if you see
the English rose
she face was bliss
down to the pink
of she toes

and when she finish
she smile
and turn to me

lend me your hanky
my fingers are all sticky
with mango juice

and I had to tell she
what hanky
you talking about
you don't know
when you eat mango
you hanky
is you tongue

man just lick
your finger
you call that
culture
lick your finger
you call that
culture

unless you prefer
to call it
colonization
in reverse

10 comments:

The Fool said...

What a delicious poem to complement the mango salsa. The use of onomatopoeic-cummingsesque-wordplay, coupled with the crafty vernacular dialect is spellbinding, and serves as quite a seductive appetizer. I'm enticed...I'll have to seek out more poems by this writer. Thanks for the addendum, Nomad.

Aaoiue said...

Moi j'adore les mangos. Quel domage qu'ils ont un noyau si grand. Il sert à quoi? Tu le sais, je sais que tu le sais.

we're doomed said...

I think someone's trying to be kinky.

Mark said...

Excellent! I love how you expressed this experience. When we are open the universe is a mango with juices to be licked up with our tongue.

Carla said...

Fool, I loved this poem the first time I read it years ago. I find it so delicious. Every time I eat a mango, I can't help but think of it.

Aaoiue, Moi aussi, j'adore les mangos. C'est vrai. C'est triste que le noyau soit si grand.

Carla said...

We're Doomed, Perhaps, just perhaps.

Mark, Thank you for stopping by for a visit. I shall drop by your site shortly.

dawn said...

The poem definitely has a sensual note to two to it. I think perhaps it will come to mind next time I have mango juice running down my hand.

Carla said...

Dawn, Comes to mind every time I eat mangoes.

Carla said...

Fool, Aaoiue, I know I replied...but it seems that some of my replies have gone missing. Quel dommage.

pandave said...

how wonderful! it brought back memories of my youth - it has been forever since i really sat back and enjoyed a mango. YUM!