(Caribbean Christmas Poem)
by Valerie Bloom
When the fee-fees start to bloom
Purple and white,
When the days begin to be
Shorter than night,
When the poinsettia's leaves
Turn from green to red,
When the turkey in his coop
Starts to look well-fed,
When we dig the yellow yams
And pick the gungo peas,
When the tall, white cane flags
Start waving in the breeze,
When oranges and tangerines
Start to fill the baskets
Of the people on their way
To the different markets,
When the fruits which have been dried
Are soaking in the wine,
When the fat green cho-chos hang
Heavy from the vine,
When we look out in the fields
To the red bulbs of sorrel,
When the pickled meats come out
When each meal contains a slice
Of avocado pear,
Then we know for certain that
Christmas time is here.
Reproduced for personal use only: do not circulate.