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The Masquerade Band

Dec 13, 2024 Letters

Fifes, flutes, fiddles, kettle and boom drums, and shac-shac— festive music and beats of the masquerade band along the street.

Children ran to see the fun.

Every man and woman frolicking in sweet music.

There was much dancing, wining, and flouncing,

and revelers moving and grooving on Christmas morning.

 

Costumes—a patchwork of outlandish colors.

A mismatch never seen;

more bizarre with the ghoulish masks.

Men danced on stilts.

“Long Lady” brushed the clouds away;

it was a sun-drenched day.

Mother Sally gyrated with a big, big behind.

There was much dancing, wining, and flouncing,

and revelers moving and grooving on Christmas morning

 

Nani and Nana couldn’t wait; they pranced and danced by the gate,

and incited the band to raise the music like Jouvay on Christmas day.

Big Bertha brought out black cake, rum, sorrel, and mauby.

Every reveler on the street had a treat.

There was much dancing, wining, and flouncing,

and revelers moving and grooving on Christmas morning.

 

Then the music stopped,

The leader of the band raised his voice.

Revelers and onlookers listened to every word:

“Christmas comes once a year,

and every man shall have his share,

but poor brother Joe in jail

drinking sour ginger beer! Blow! Blow!”

Fifes, flutes, fiddles, kettle and boom drums,

triangle and shac-shac heeded the leader’s call.

The verve and energy flooded the street.

There was much dancing, wining, and flouncing,

and revelers moving and grooving on Christmas morning.

 

And the man with the “Bull-Cow” rushed to the crowd.

Children saw the lowered horns.

They saw the flaring nostrils;

they saw fire in the bull’s eyes.

They ran; they came back—

a dangerous thing to tease a mad bull born to gore.

But what a spectacle:

the sweet mischief of children and bull.

There was much dancing, wining, and flouncing,

and revelers moving and grooving on Christmas morning.

 

Sincerely,

Haimnauth (Cecil) Ramkirath

(The Masquerade Band)

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