Sylvia Wynter's Dream

* Disclaimer: depictions of violence, may cause your eyes to sweat

at 5’ something, a girl became a woman when she was claimed by another man, and though she was 6 years older than him, he was the dominant one in their relationship, a brown beauty in a pink dress moved away from her family to start a new life, playing the role of a virtuous wife she cooked his meals, washed his clothes, and on holiday visits to St Mary she trekked along the obscure trails hidden under bushes on the mountain carrying water in a bucket on her head, back and forth through the rain, back and forth from day to night, back and forth across the river, back and forth running from the duppies, back and forth and on she goes playing the role of a virtuous wife

            at 5’ something the girl has grown into a woman and has had 4 children for her man, the eldest – a son – followed in his father’s footsteps in the city, the second – a daughter – a fair girl showered with favour, the third – also a daughter – born feet first in the river and was thus proclaimed to be able to see and communicate with the duppies, the wash belly is also a daughter that was cherished in her father’s hands – she was the favourite, back and forth she goes playing the role of a virtuous wife, back and forth she goes now playing the role of a loving mother

            at 5’ something the 6 of them – parents and 4 children in tow – shared 2 beds in a small 10 x 10 board room that could only hold a little 4 x 4 board table, later they moved from a small board room to a board house, back and forth she goes as he slams her head into the windshield of a vehicle when drunk and they tie him upside down on a tree and splashes him with water – she has a mark scarred on her forehead to this day – back and forth she goes when he leaves for all his other women outside and then returns to punish her once again, back and forth she goes though she was born disabled unable to hear or speak she played her role as a virtuous wife never letting any one of her grievances leak

            at 4’ something she moved once again with her now husband – they finally got married – children and grandchildren in tow from a broken board house to a concrete house, more space, more beds, more rooms for everyone, so she endured when her husband curses at her, she endured when her husband hits her, she endured when her husband cheats on her, she endured when no one – neither he children, her family nor her friends helped her, she endured, so back and forth she goes when she makes breakfast – takari (curry vegetables and legumes) and roti with coffee for her hungover husband which he, in turn, threw on her chest and scalded her, back and forth she goes when his temper grew worse as his body grew old, back and forth she goes when he arrives home drunk and thumps her in her back with his heavy fists waking her from her sleep, back and forth she goes when after everything she soaks his feet in warm water, cleans him and his mess playing her role as a virtuous wife

            at 4’ something this virtuous wife has become a grandmother that dotes on her grandchildren, cooks for them, plays with them and loves them in her own humble way, this grandmother at 50 years old was sent away to a foreign country for 10 years by her own family so that they can reap the benefits of her green card, after her return this grandmother in all of her aches and pains still maintained a lively disposition, sweeping and wiping the house, sweeping the yard, watering the garden, cooking 4 meals in the kitchen – breakfast, lunch, dinner, supper – washing the dishes, washing the clothes, this grandmother was always on the move, and back and forth she goes when her husband finally died and she could not stop crying because he was all she knew, could she still play her role as a virtuous wife?

            at 4’ something a lovely woman is resigned to the roles of wife, mother and grandmother, always taking care of others but who will ever care for her – with the exception of her third child, her second daughter (my mom) – this grandmother grew up eating green vegetables and then enjoying the delicacies of the city, this grandmother seemingly had nothing to offer so her life that she lived is more than she could ask for, this grandmother has now retired from her role as a virtuous wife, this 4’ something aged brown beauty has been crowned a new titled as the woman of the century.