Spell, and: I Name Gyal

Abstract

Spell, and: I Name Gyal Cheryl Boyce-Taylor (bio) Spell I carry my big-up self to Trinidadhoping the sea water could wash waythe bitter taste of mal yeux blightthat not so good woman leave in my house a nasty wind blow in my face when I reach Tunapunafish market it nearly make me faintI rush off the damn put-put taxi and ask the womanin the pretty guava sari and the blue henna painted hands how much it does cost to light a white candlefor broken hearts hereshe look at me good and with a serious face she saycandles eh go help yuh nah missy but here what and follow me good get a brasso tin and put yuh private business in itbury it on the first river bank yuh seetake two rum and wine yuh waist like it ha springfor three days drink tea bag black no coffee take two sea bath it go cut that mal yeux blightI giving yuh two cigar light one for every sea bathI go give yuh a small bag ah vetivee grasshang it round yuh neck then guava say six hundred miss-ladysix hundred for whatI is the cheapest round here ask anybody [End Page 38] I don’t want to fight this early morningmiss-lady just pay me my moneycash only nocreditcardamericanexpressnoting like that just cash four weeks pass and nothing workingthe veti making me sneezethe spring in my waist so rusty it breakand the rum giving me bad feeling to tell the truth I fraid sea waterand I was hoping to work half the spellcause half the heart readythe other half still pending I Name Gyal I name gyalI am the daughter I always wantedI grow tropical crotons in my kitchen long crimson and yellow stemsthat look like they can danceI name gyal I got tall orange and red balisier in my bedroomtheir bright mouths red as Shango’s shoutmy straw mat is strewn with guavas purple cowry shells and Oya candles I remember who I am my home name is gyalmy study is wild with stray fernsBoston, Jamaican, English and stink Mexican marigolds [End Page 39] I rise at five start my dinnera pot of curry chicken and rice on the stovefresh corn from the yard my home name is gyalin summer I plant wild pumpkin vine and blue dasheenlay sorrel in the yard to dry sweeten ginger beer with molasseschurn Guinness stout into ice creaminvite friends, play reggae and soca loud I am my own midwife, I birth myselfthe daughter I always wantedI am my best selfbraided gyal drinking cocoa tea [End Page 40] Cheryl Boyce-Taylor Cheryl Boyce-Taylor is a VONA fellow, and the founder of the Glitter Pomegranate Poetry Series. She is the author of three poetry collections, Raw Air, Night When Moon Follows and Convincing the Body. She is also a graduate of Stone-coast MFA Poetry Program. Her poems are published in numerous anthologies including: ALOUD: Voices from the Nuyorican Poets Café, Bowery Women, The Mom Egg Review, Callaloo, Pank, and Killens Review of Arts & Letters. Copyright © 2015 University of Nebraska Press