Le Morne

by Amit Parmessur

O my dearest friends, have
you ever slid down the back of a serpent?

It is the same going there, to Le Morne —
just that on the reptile’s back there is
no such wonderful, original scenery.

There are no such delightful breezes
to charm you and rippling waters
to whisper silent stories into your ears.

Le Morne is Le Morne.
Home to tired slaves,
grave to runaway rebels

its basaltic Le Morne Brabant, that
gargantuan bump in the soil that no wind
can flatten is still a lighthouse for fishermen.

If you go there you might just
sense, see and suffer for the slaves
who bled for us,
who worked for us,
who perished.

Le Morne has guided the blood of many
unsung heroes into the haven of its oceans.
Le Morne is Le Morne,
a serpent that can charm any snake charmer!

Its calmness, a tireless journey into infinity
will always mock any form
of man-made turmoil.

Le Morne is Le Morne.