Note: This poem was the best way for me to express my thoughts and feelings about the escalating violence among our young men over these past few months. It is a cycle that we need to stop.

Violence from the womb

Mama, I pregnant.

Ouch! What you hitting me for?

Yes, I want to keep the baby.

I ee’n asking you to help me, I will do it on my own.

I know I don’t have a job, but Johnny working and he will help.

Mama, the baby’s crying,

What you mean you don’t care?

How could you tell me something like that?

I trying to make something of myself,

But raising this baby is not easy.

Daddy, what daddy?

The only daddy this boy know is me

You know these men only good at laying down the seed

But they don’t know nothing about plowing and harvesting.

Yeah, I should have listened,

But he done here so what you saying that for?

Shut up boy, I’m tired of your crying

You need to go to sleep now.

Chile that baby ee’n hushin up now

He got years to wail and you got years to groan

Boy you better shut up now before I give you something good

Oh honey child why you stressin’ him so

He just need some food and love.

Wap, wap, don’t answer me back boy

Who you tink you talkin’ to?

But why you always have to hit me so

I just askin’ if you know.

I don’t have no time for your foolishness boy

Go look for your Pa yourself

You haven’t seen him in fifteen years,

What makes you think he’ll be around today?

Bam bam, I done tell you punks don’t mess with me

I ee’n no light nigger, so don’t try test me.

See, they think I was jokin’ but who got the last laugh?

I don’t care if they lock me up

What other life do I have?

Oh Lord why you do that, why you so stupid boy?

Now you got me out here in front of this court house

To carry this shame on my own.

I ee’n raise you like this? Why you so angry boy?

How could you do this to me?

Why you had to go kill that boy,

Couldn’t you reason it out?

No I’m not siding with him,

But I know how you go

You were always such an angry child

Who was so hard to love.

I don’t need you no more, haven’t for a while

Raised myself, so I know I’m a man

My boys got my back so everything will be cool

I got my stripes now, so these punks will leave me alone.

By the way Mama, I got a baby on the way.

About the author: Joye Ritchie-Greene is an Educational Consultant, Writer and Martial Arts Instructor. She is the owner/operator of The Bahamas Martial Arts Academy; president of Time-Out Productions; and is also a columnist for the Freeport News. She has a B.A. in English and an M.S. in Human Resources, resides in Freeport, Grand Bahama with her husband and enjoys playing tennis. Joye can be reached at joye_hel_ena@hotmail.com