I am…

I am 
Ackee and saltfish
don’t like the ackee 

I am 
codfish fritters
Fried with scallions, onions till golden brown

I am 
Plantańos
fried and mushed in Mazola corn oil

I am 
arroz con pollo
Saźon, Carolina rice washed 3x, meat falling off the chicken bone

I am 
a hot dog
Hebrew national of course with a toasted bun
or wonder bread, toasted

I am 
Wise
Potato Chips
geez, onion and garlic, barbeque, plain

I am 
Chef Boy Ardee
Let’s not open Pandora’s box
Ravioli, Spaghetti with meatballs

I am 
Spam
Fried in corn oil 
Served with eggs fried in butter
(Nuff said)

I am 
Vienna sausages
heated in the can 
served with ketchup and toothpicks

I am 
Sounds of Congos
at night in the playground
firecrackers, roasted pig, double-dutch 

I am
Puerto Rican Spanglish
loosie cigarettes, The Machétes, The Black Pearls,
whom protected us youngins (forever grateful)

I am
Let fart be free 
 as it caused the death of poor Mary Lee

I am
Faith moves mountains
You talk too much you worry me to death 
Que sera, sera, One less egg to fry 

I am
McCalla Brothers 
from Scotland, who settled in Jamaica and collected slaves

I am
From those ancestors 
who migrated to Honduras 
Working the banana plantation
Where my mother Joyce Margarita McCalla was born
And given away to her aunt and brought to Jamaica

I am
The half product 
of an Irish man who had a fling with my grandmother
Which produced my father Noel Emmanuel Walsh
Who helped produced me