Island Man

Island Man (for a Caribbean island man in London who still wakes up to the sound of the sea)

by Grace Nichols

.

Morning

and island man wakes up

to the sound of blue surf

in his head

the steady breaking and wombing

wild seabirds

and fishermen pushing out to sea

the sun surfacing defiantly

from the east

of his small emerald island

.

He always comes back

groggily groggily

comes back to sands

of a grey metallic soar

to a surge of wheels

to dull North Circular roar

muffling muffling

his crumpled pillow waves

island man heaves himself

another London day

Where do you want to wake up?

I would want to wake up in Soctland. My Dad is from scotland but hes never been. He says it's beautiful, I always thought of the open fields filled with sheep and hay bills. But when i think of scotland i think of hagus and kilts. When I turn 30 i hope to there with a few friends and fanily.