by Claude McKay · 1912
Poetry · Classics
Claude McKay's poems from his months as a young constable in the Jamaican police, published in 1912 when he was in his early twenties. Many are in Jamaican dialect and look at police life with humour and sympathy.
Content note: Written in Jamaican speech of 1912, with the language and attitudes of that time. The last chapter is the author's glossary of dialect words.
De Route March
In de fus’ squad an’ de front rank, ’Side me dear Will on de right flank, From de drill-groun’ at the old camp We went marchin’ on a long tramp.
In de forefront was de gay band, An’ de music it was ring grand; O how jolly were we boys, oh, As we marched ’long t’rough St. Jago!
As we tramped on out de dull town, Keepin’ time so [1] to de drum’s soun’, All de folkses as dey ran out, Started dancin’ with a glad shout.
We went swingin’ do’n de steep hill, Me so happy by my dear Will, Wid our carbines slung about we, An’ our glad hearts like de air free.
We drank a draught from a pure brook Dat came windin’ roun’ a lee nook; Then homeward turned from de cool spring, Wid our good S. M. commanding.
To de music wid a good will We went tramp-trampin’ up de hill, An’ back to camp strode marchin’ t’rough De sad ruins of St. Jago.
Notes
pointing to the feet.
