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A recorded reading of “Signwriter’s Blues, Nassau”. If the player does not load, use the original audio source.
Blue wall shouting WELCOME in carnival letters, the kind of praise that photographs itself. A man in a felt hat stands in the margin of paint, crease-pressed shirt, tie with a sly, tidal pattern. His eyes keep the weather others don’t see— a barometer set to hunger, to humour, to Monday. Behind him, an orange shutter latched against noon. A poster promises three for ten; rum’s brown glass winks. A conch horn lifts from the quay; a taxi hail answers— the street wakes into traffic heat; tar gives back the sun. He reads the space between O and M, the cost of red paint, years tallied in brush tins stacked along the verge, letters climbing his knuckles, turpentine taking the day’s edge. Welcome is the chair scrape with his name in it, the shopman’s nod—then a cold one sweating on the tab. The wall keeps shouting. He keeps the island steady— hat brim level, gaze a plumb line, colour drying in the salt of air.
Lyrics
say my name Blue wall shouts welcome, fresh paint sings Felt hat man squares up to the springs Crease-pressed shirt, tide-print tie, he grins Eyes read weather no one brings Orange shutter locks down noon light Poster says three for ten in bright Rum glass winks, brown laugh, street brightens Conch horn lifts from the quay, I grin Taxi hails back, tires bite in Heat climbs tar, the sun leans in Say my name Paint my name Wall says welcome Call my name He scans the gap between O and M Counts the red by thumb and hem Years stack quiet in brush tin rims Letters climb knuckles, stain the skin Turpentine softens the edge he keeps Salt air dries colour while Nassau breathes Chair scrapes out with his name set in Shopman nods once, lets him in Cold one sweats, he palms the tin Say my name Paint my name Wall says welcome Call my name I hold this line I keep this sign Say my name Paint my name Wall says welcome Call my name say my name
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