James Berry's Poem for Girls -- Jamaican Style

This poem "Girls Can We Educate We Dads," by Jamaican born James Berry comes from When I Dance, a collection of poems for young people, published in 1991.

Listn the male chauvinist in mi dad- 
a girl walkin night street mus be bad. 
He dohn sey, the worlds a free place 
for a girl to keep her unmolested space. 
Instead he sey -- a girl is a girl.

He sey a girl walkin swingin hips about 
call boys to look and shout. 
He dohn sey, if a girl have style 
she wahn to sey, look 
I okay from top to foot. 
Instead he sey -- a girl is a girl. 


Listn the male chauvinist in mi dad -- 
a girl too laughy-laughy look too glad-glad 
jus like a girl too looky-looky roun 
will get a pretty satan at her side. 
He dohn sey -- a girl full of go 
dohn wahn stifle talent comin on show. 
Instead he sey -- a girl is a girl.