Vickie Remoe Institute of Digital Communications

Diaspora Soul: Les Rickford’s " Langa Langa Poem "

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Les Rickford is many times a many of little words. One of those people you always wish would say more cause all their words are so meaningful. He is a photographer, a do gooder, a poet, a patriot, and most importantly a damn good man. He’s written a krio homage of mutaburaka’s dis poem that really only a creole could right. I don’t mean half creole’s like myself who speak that contaminated krio but the creole’s wey get dat tru krio insay dem blod. Les is currently on loan to the US and is living in Texas. Thanks for sharing Mr. Rickford…u are always an inspiration. Do you think u can read krio? then here is your chance to prove it!

“Langa Langa Poem” by Les Rickford

dis na langa langa poem
tranga tranga poem
wey yu si na red ink nomo
fit fo tek rayt am

poem wey man no rili mek op fo rayt sef
na pepa en pen mitop oh
bifo jek
poem bigin rayt insef
naijiria man kin seh
nah wah oh

yu blant si dray yay poem lek dis wan dey
langa poem lek dis
liba poem lek dis
poem wey get maynd fo waka bia fut pan chuk chuk
get maynd fo rayd baysikul bia wes
na kwari

basta pikin poem
to mi enitin wey ah dae fen nah dis wol, leh ah noh get am
sweh to mi mami, mi na man is dis
leh ah alaki kayn poem

Nah dem poem ya kin luk yu na yu yay
koro koro wan
den laf to yu
don i chap yu ‘an fep
bifo do klin sef

wen i don i go sidom
konvinient wan wit im padi dem
dae it atcheke

langa tranga basta poem
wey if yu luk am gud
na Afrikaman poem
bot i fiba lek i fambul to da poem
wey muta bin rayt nah jimeka
wey nem dis poem

bot normor
ah biliv mi pej lekke ow a biliv
mi wef
en mi pej tel mi sey na mi bon dis poem
en olman sey di poem fiba mi
wit im langa tranga basta sef

noh men am oh
sontem dae i kin mek lek oodat
noh dae tok
lekke bota noba melt
na im mot

ah dae tel yu somtin
if dis poem mek na ya
i kin mek dull eyes ol
melt lek den fom tri pikin
wey na tiday fos
ticha dae yan am

da tem dae yu noh go biliv
sey na da sem raray man poem
wey kin dae kos mami kos
en pull shot fo fet
rob pepe nah yu yay en yu wes jangrey man poem

i kin sidom midul sivilays poem dem
lek fayn fayn flawa
dae mek gud boy
so tae tradey da grani nah big yad
wey im yes kok, en i noh dae si fayn
gi poem koppoh fo go bay patch granat
en sevin op

olman pini
grani sey “nah wetin?”
olman set mot

poem noh du wan in noh du tu
i ton bak ma
wit di granat, di sevin op
en di grani in chenj
i shotop evribodi

yu go olmos wan for sey
usai tru dae foh tok
dis poem ya get trenin
bot if yu luk gud gud
insay in yay
yu go no seh
i noh go ezitet foh kil posin
rigadles if i don tote in faya

langa langa poem
tranga poem wey no givadem, givarap
poem wey get penda na im fut
den drai drai fut
wey wet man noh kin biliv sey get trenk
foh tote motalman sef
bikos den kin luk di fut by di lukin
noh no sey pamine dae gi trenk
i lek sef i noh gi bodi

noh no sey poem nah dem ole bone yong boy
wey don pley bol
tu shilin ren bol
pan motoka trit wey get galop
en klem koknat tik
en dans jiglo na blowop en kawnt en laronda
bifo insef luk ping en lef
wey den ples dae noh swit am egen

Langa tranga poem wey get ekspiriyens
poem wey go kollej
di tem wey kollej nah bin still sontin

(to be continued)

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