Afrobeat Journal Issue 2 : Spring 2011

by Alecia McKenzie

MYANMAR (BURMA) 2002

Black Mercedes limos
With tinted glass
Emerge from the night
Like a line of hearses
Waved to their positions
By white-gloved
Gun-toting
Guards
Their faces
Carved from teak

The cars
Discharge their riders
Sarong-clad
Heavy men
Broad of shoulder
And large of belly

Each step they take
Echoes their power
Despite the incongruous
Little leather thongs
On their feet
toenails immaculately clipped
of course

I watch this procession
Of generals
With unease
Unable to completely quell
The flutterings of fear

But you, oblivious still
Cry out in the night
“bye bye”
And several of these mighty men
Turn their heads to stare at you
Hard mouths ready to bark
An order

But disarmed by your little-girl giggle
One by one
They somehow manage
To crack
A smile

JAMAICA 2002

The mango juice
slid down your chin
dripped
onto your powder-blue dress

you bit into the flesh
of the fruit you held so tightly
your face a portrait
of childish delight

and when more nectar
rolled down your arm
drawing an orange line
from wrist to elbow

your tongue
swept a clean path
just the way mine used to
from elbow to wrist

your grandmother –
older, smaller than the last time I saw her –
laughed at you and shook her head
“Mi pickney come home,” she said.

Who is Alecia McKenzie?

Alecia McKenzie was born and grew up in Jamaica. Her published books include Satellite City, When the Rain Stopped in Natland, Doctor’s Orders, and Stories from Yard. She reports on human rights, development, culture and environmental issues for a news agency. As an artist, Alecia has participated in exhibitions in Alabama, New York, Brussels, London, Singapore and Paris. She has done the cover artwork for two of her books. Visit her at: aleciamckenzie