No Drugs
recited by Tamalee
Jamaican dub poetry by Salid Maxwell
click on the picture above
to play the video, and to hear Tamalee's poetry
Tamalee was eight years old in summer of 2000 when this poem
was recorded. An ordinary, shy young girl who goes to school
in Swift River Jamaica. Ordinary, that is, until she stands up
to recite poetry.
Then the shy girl is transformed into a proud, immense Voice
-- and everyone who listens sits quietly. Tamalee is a source
of pride for the village, as she carries forward their tradition
of oral storytelling that they call "dub poetry."
A modern dub poem recited by Tamalee live before a group of
100 people in the Swift River Community Center is recorded here.
"No Drugs" encourages young people in Jamaica to stay
away from drugs; we've transcribed it below for your convenience.
Drugs -- it's not pretty
Drugs -- it's not sweet
When you take drugs you do not even feel like to eat,
So it feeds on your system, and eats out your brain,
Drives you insane and leaves you in pain
So stay away from drugs
Keep away from drugs
Run from drugs
Take it from me, little Tamalee
Stay drug free
Drugs is wicked
Drugs is crucially bad
It makes you laugh and sometimes cry...
If I were you I wouldn't take drugs
It eats the brain,
It causes pain,
It makes you do dangerous things
It makes you badadadadadadadad
Sometimes you say yes
When you should say NO
Drugs -- it's not pretty
Drugs -- it's not sweet
When you take drugs you do not even feel like to eat
So it feeds on your system, and eats out your brain
Drives you insane and leaves you in pain
So stay away from drugs
Keep away from drugs
Run from drugs
Take it from me, little Tamalee...
Stay drug free, stay drug free!
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click here
to see the video of Tamalee,
and hear the poetry
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click here.
The Greenstar Experience,
Swift River Jamaica
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