Poetry Soapbox: Cricket, Lovely Cricket!

Cricket, Lovely Cricket!

By Shelley Sykes-Coley
Guest Poet

Me caan stop now, me affi go buy mi ticket
Fi go watch di nex’ T20 cricket!
Ah waan fi see when di wicket dem a fall,
An’ di bounsa dem a bowl wid di new bran’ ball.

Me han’ dem a go wave like fan wheneva dem mek a four
An mi two finga dem a go inna de sky when di six dem score!
Howzat! and Bowled! me waan fi shout,
When man get caught behind’ or stumps get lick out.
We waan fi see some fancy pull, hook an’ sweep,
An’ fi see if de ‘keepa can really keep.
Me waan fi see nuff runs puddung pon de board
An’ me well waan fi see some big century scored!

Me yeye dem a go glue on pon dat deh cricket field,
Fi see if dem a go walk or win de appeal.
Di match not ova ’til di last ball bowled,
So me waan fi see which team a go fold.

When nine man gone, an’ a jus one wicket,
Dat mek fi some excitin’ cricket!
Di way me excited, me jus’ caan wait,
Me fus a go troo Sabina Park gate!

© 2016 Shelley Sykes-Coley, All Rights Reserved

Shelley Sykes-Coley is a Jamaica-based upcoming writer whose poetry
celebrates the nuances of everyday Jamaican life, entertaining audiences
by ‘tekkin’ bad tings mek laff”. Her outstanding works won her an Open Mic Award
at the 2016 Calabash International Literary Festival.