Island Songs by Alex Wheatle Read Free Book Online

the bush and brushwood.
    “Nuh mon,” David finally replied, sensing his refusal might injure Levi’s feelings. “Me jus’ nyam ah liccle somet’ing. Where yuh get your lobster an’ fish from anyway?”
    “From dis good brudder who live ’pon de coast. Him come check me from time to time. Me give him chocolate, ackee, sweet-sop an’ him give me any fish dat him ketch.”
    Feeling the cooling hillside breeze that threaded through the trees, David sat down. “Why yuh don’t sell ya t’ings ah Claremont market?”
    Levi rocked back in laughter, his mane of hair dancing in the air. “David! Look ’pon me! Yuh t’ink Claremont people would give me dem custom? Nuh, brudder! Dey would never understand dat me ah Nazarene. Dem would t’ink me was born from de seed of Old Screwface himself.”
    “So yuh don’t ’ave nuh family?” David wanted to know.
    “Yes, brudder. Of course. Me come from ah good well intentioned family. Dem sen’ me ah school in Montego Bay an’ der is where me learn to read.”
    Looking inside the stores hut at the selection of books, David remarked, “yes, yuh mus’ read well mighty”.
    Smiling, Levi said, “but education is ah dangerous t’ing. An’ de education me receive outta school prove even more deadly.”
    “How is dat?” asked David, already feeling a dull ache in his backside.
    Mimicking the countenance of a professor, Levi explained, “from when me learn dat Moses was ah black mon who did ah waan reintroduce de praising of de One God, jus’ like Akhenaten an’ him first wife, Nefertiti.”
    Recalling that Levi had once related the tale of Akhenaten and Nefertiti, David couldn’t remember the finer points of the story. He nodded and faked understanding and allowed Levi to continue.
    “Yuh see, David, Moses quarrel wid Pharoah was never about de freeing of de slaves. It was about Moses’ intention of establishing de praising of de One God – de God of Akhenaten.”
    Still not grasping what Levi was saying, David nodded his head again. Levi resumed, enjoying his attentive pupil.
    “Moses had many followers an’ Pharoah affe treat Moses intentions serious becah him know dat Moses was ah High Priest an’ ah Alchemist. He did know de high arts an’ sorcery dat dem both learn inna Heliopolis. It was ah High Priestess dat collect Moses from him bankra from de Nile.”
    Raising his hand excitedly David exclaimed, “me know dat! Me know dat. Mama teach me dat from de Bible.”
    Not liking David’s interruption, Levi resumed, his face now stern. “Moses grow up inna Pharoah house an’ learn everyt’ing dat Pharoah learn. But some call dese facts blasphemous. Even educated black mon will chant yuh down if yuh speak it. Even me own fader chant me down. Me decide to live ah simple life living by me own means. Me family disown me from dat. Me don’t waan to work fe nuh white mon an’ mek him belly get fatter, y’understand? An’ read der interpretation of de Bible. ME REFUSE TO CARRY DECURSE OF HAM !”
    David recognised Ham as the black son of Noah, but didn’t want to be led into a discussion. He had eavesdropped on his Grandfather Neville, who spoke of such things in secret gatherings and the subject had caused much controversy. David wanted to address his own circumstances. “Me waan to lead me own life, Levi,” he stated, his tone full of determination. “Me waan to travel far an’ see t’ings. Living ah Claremont cyan’t satisfy me. But me don’t know how to tell me Papa. An’ telling Mama would be worse dan dat. It would truly trouble her sweet head. But me ’ave made up me mind. Me will forward to Linstead first, mebbe find work ah bauxite place, an’ tek t’ings from der.”
    Pondering his answer, Levi was fully aware of his growing influence on his new friend. “David, yuh live ah good clean life, an’ ya family too. Yuh live de way de Most High intended ah brudder to live. Me respect dat to de fullest! Yuh know, David, me been living up here