Nigger Sweat

Nigger Sweatv_7v_7"Please have your passport and all documents out andready for your interview. Kindly keep them dry."(Notice in the waiting-room of the US Embassy, VisaSection, Kingston, 1982.)No disrespect, mi boss,just honest nigger sweat;well almost, for is truesome of we trying to fool youso we can lose weselfon the Double R ranchto find a little life.But, boss, is hard timesmake it, and not becauseblack people born wutliss;so, boss, excuse this nigger sweat.And I know that you know itas good as me,this river running through history,this historical fact, this sweatthat put the aromain your choice Virginia,that sweeten the caneand make the cotton shine;and sometimes I dream a nightmare dreamthat the river rising, rising,and swelling the sea, and I seeyou choking and drowningin a sea of black man sweatand I wake up shaking

with shame and remorsefor my mother did teach me,"Child, don't study revenge."Don't think we not grateful, boss,how you cool down the place for we comfort,but the line shuffle forwardone step at a timelike Big Fraid hold we,and the cool-cut, crew-cut Marine boywid him ice-blue eye and him walkie-talkiedissa walk through the place and pretendhim no see we.But a bring mi handkerchief,mi mother did bring me up right,and, God willing, I keeping things cooltill we meet face to face,and a promise you, boss,if I get through I gone,gone from this bruk-spirit, kiss-me-arse place.