Fighting Ooman
Photo by Zayne Airall, Intersect Antigua-Barbuda.
All man know how fi do a fight.
Di fuss thought weh cross dem mind a fi roll up dem sleeve an’ draw fi fisticuff.
Brazen gun an’ draw blood under hot noon sun.
Dem nuh know how fi siddung an’ av nuh civil conversation wid one anodda before dem decide seh fighting a di way fi go.
Talk to most man up til todeh and yuh see seh di mindset nuh change,
di same status quo.
Ooman now, av a certain je ne sais quoi, a complex medley fi any situation dem find demself inna, wehda a dem own accord or not.
Gyal learn how fi bite di bullet man wrought.
Passive an’ active resistance, mi neva figet history lessons from di girls’ school.
House ooman used to ova-starch ole massa shirt colla til him neck red,
feign ill an’ ignorance, mek whities think dem maintain di imbalance.
Learn which herbs do wah.
Being stuck inna di kitchen mek it easiah fi pisin whoeva tek set,
heal up wounds weh halfdead,
an’ mek belly come dung fi save di ooman who fah body dem tek advantage ah, all inna one breath.
Ooman carry news between dem bossom chu grapevine, rainforest, jungle and countryside.
Dem chat too much but just enough fi know di perfect moment fi strike.
Bring stories curl up inna dem tongue.
Memba recipes a dem modda’s modda from di ole country fi feed di future fi years to come.
An’ inna every, single, solitary war, even if di man dem write it and flip di script, tun di story to His story,
ooman fight bare knuckle and bare face right side a man.
Set alight plantation, carry machete inna dem skirt waist.
Write against Taliban, seeking education an’ get shot inna di face.
Female fighter march pon front line wid rifle ova dem back,
holding fast ‘gainst M23 sexual attack.
Dem carry baby pon dem hip an’ inna dem belly through rubble an’ soot,
ova di hills, chu valleys an’ floods, on foot.
Documenting terror an’ strife,
how fi cope wid dem life as a way fi keep going.
Palestinian women record video pon TikTok regrowing flowers even doh di limbs cannot.
Sudanese women create community kitchen an’ emergency room fi satiate di hunger an’ stave off rot.
Dem soothe dem bredda wid song and hold dem sista hand.
Ooman bury body weh heng from tree weh violent men leff up fi bleed out,
soaking di dirt ina nutten but grief.
Man too quick to anger, temper shorter than mi fadda.
Fi him complex is nothing but pure ego, measuring who fah hood longa.
Man encourage fi beat an’ whip an’ mek di wul worl worth dem while.
Ooman manipulate an’ wait an’ sometime use dem feminine guile.
Dem fight fi di right fi go school, own land, marry who dem please.
Say no to how men wah use dem body say no to cooking and cleaning.
Mek dem owna money, and hold bank account
Dem fight fi reclaim mother nature, remaining devout.
Claiming rest an’ relaxation, slipping into meditation.
Dem fight fi d right fi vote between two angry men,
an’ live wid di consequence in di end.
