Liquid Lunch

Been waiting for the right moment to share some Liquid Lunch with you, a gift from Stephen that arrive in the post. First, I did plan, I would loll off one evening in the spare bedroom, and read. I would open them louvre windows lining the east and south walls; pull open them curtains tight-tight to the sides of the windows; smooth dark-blue sky with the one star would cool me mind like breeze cooling the warm room. The crickets-cacophony and guava-tree-rustle would mingle with the music playing quiet-quiet inside.

Then we get the news about me cousin death and the perfect moment dash away. Was as if the clock hands went mad, spinning whirrrrrrrrrrrrrrr, skipping days, turning hours into seconds and there was no time anymore, only a blur of...whirrrrr...bread slices, cheese grating, mixing with a few drops o’ milk and pepper and shallot and celery that I chop-up fine-fine to make sandwiches for wake-nights, visiting Auntie M. and Uncle J. to comfort them, gyaffing ...chatting...with younger sister of cousin A. who die, and in between, teach English, try to contact artist-friend to plan artsy affair with other creative folks...whir...rr...

...r r...me creative self slow down like clock unwinding.

Two mornings ago, before sun rise, I pick up Liquid Lunch, blues-inspired poetry. Hey! Realisation wash down on me like cool water on hot, dusty skin, them these here ain’t no blues. Sure, they got the rhythm, the style, the word-sounds o’ the blues. But in them these pages is folks jivin’ with music, laughter...and inspiration. Them these pages got cat-fish, slick bones and molasses; women toss off men like they changing lingerie; men chase sweet fine things even though, when they go home, they gon have to duck and dodge pots and pans that their ol’ ladies send flying at their heads; and towards the end, there’s Soul, man, Soul, and a man re-born.

See there now, time do that whiirrrr thing again and I got to skeedaddle, but now I know, Liquid Lunch is the kinda chapbook I can sip-sip any time, or I can guzzle it in one go then return for refills.

Thank you, Stephen.

Now go, folks go, get your own Liquid Lunch ‘cause I ain’t givin’ you mine.