Blue Mountain Mon

The shack, gun-metal gray

tin bent from necessity

of living hard, nearer

to the bone of subsistence.

An old rutting sow rooting

the garbage heap eyes

the interloper, decides nothing much

there. I step

into the gloom

wait the eyes

uneasy adjustment

before inquiring--how

much for the rasta man?

Fifty bucks mon, US,

drifts a voice

guttural

but open, the rasp

of an indolent idler somewhat

stirred--I counter

sensing bargain--“what else

do you have?

Let's see?”

I wait the marlin's wait

of a gulf's slow measured

unspooling;

the crab's cough creaking

cot confirmation

a hook's been baited

the rustle of beads before

the ghost on island time

steps through to greet me.

You've a fine eye mon

keen sight for

beauty--

the hunter's sharp

glint gauging the tarbot's

wallet--I let him circle

consider

what mutual interests might

concoct--Come then

let's step out back and

see...

The bargaining one-sided quick

checked only

by an over-stuffed boot

of undersized rental.

He seemed amused

if not quite sated

as if

still malnourished--

I'd nothing more

left to leave him.

Turning round

ready to head back down

the blue mountain

I catch him looking hard

the milky eye glaze

a tear--for me or

the departing beauties--

before we settle

in the fading light of

an idling sun

the carpenter's adze

testifies to

this world's unfinished

planks sweet-tempered nature.

Ken e Bujold

© 2022

Author's Note

another from "Islands in the Sun"

Reviews

[willweb]

I visit Jamaica every couple of years and it is always an enchanting adventure for me. Your poem took there, to the tin shacks, the dusty roads, the smiles of the friendly people. Thanks so much for sharing this.

[Ken e Bujold]

it is a great place. first visit was in 82 and have been back many times

[keith]

lot goin on here mon ...
very descriptive without slam dancin the point to death
the path of truth is always well worn ... sometimes not seen

there is nothin in this world that compares to being spooled by a grander ... black or blue
striped or white on 30s
only p*****s work it for sails
not many know the ways of the master marlin fishermen and their mates
very few can rig mullet squid or spanish mac
as a younger man i spent many days fishin around the world in search of the greatest dance on water as either mate or captain ... i quit fishin in '90
haven't stepped foot on a boat since ... i do lov me some marlin mon!

[keith]

DAMN FINE COFFEE do the blue mountains bring
havin a cup 'o right now!

[Ken e Bujold]

thanks for the visit keith. this is part of a growing suite of poems "Islands in the Sun" which are loosely based around my travels through exotic places, for work, pleasure and at times simple misfortune of being in wrong place at right time. not sure in the end what they amount to, other than my making space in the cerebral clutter i call a mind

[keith]

i am hooked as one could say
fishin to me was like an unbelievable girlfriend
one that gave more and more even when things got rough
when time came to leave her in the slip
it was the time to never date her again
fishin and women
create your own storm in every port!

[Ken e Bujold]

while i am not much for fishing I do love port cities. there is a vibrancy to them which you don't find in most places. and yes the ladies. were plenty of them too through the yrs until i finally found one i simply had to have want to keep me. life's been a good ride. still plenty of time yet i hope, though the wild boy adventures are pretty much a thing of the past

[keith]

i am on my last great adventure ... continuing my self reliance with improvements along the way
read morei am on my last great adventure ... continuing my self reliance with improvements along the way
i usually have a large garden but it has become too much for me to do correctly
i am scaling back to a few raised beds and planting fruit trees where the veggies and melons have grown
i am ok with my life change!

peace to ya my friend ... warning! i will be back!

[Neville]

take me back to the set of 'Deadwood' back in the day whydont'cha .. a gripping tale told terribly well Ken :)

[Ken e Bujold]

thanks Nev. based off a real life experience many moons ago. was up on blue mountain in Jamaica and happened upon a rasta wood carver's place. spent better part of a day perusing his work and haggling on some pieces. this is one of what I am calling my Islands in the Sun suite, memories and impressions of my idler's passion for warmth and new sensations. 40 yrs of experience to draw from