Mel Cooke, Freelance Writer

Michael St George (left) and Benjy Myaz at 'Sey Sup'm' at Weekenz last Sunday. - Colin Hamilton/Freelance Photographer

When Michael St George came on the stage at Weekenz, Constant Spring Road, St Andrew, on Sunday evening, he smiled and said, "me feel good. Me deh home".

However, as one of the members of the poetic 'Canadian Invasion', there were still some adjustments to be made. "Me no truly thaw out. Me still a sweat," St George said.

True to the migratory patterns, there was a strong Caribbean presence in the invasion from the land of the Maple Leaf, a recent departure and consistent 'returnee', Owen 'Blakka' Ellis wrapping up the segment with 'Tick Tock'. And after performances from the Infinity Crew and Choice, deejay Cyberg of Guyanese origin started off things Canadian (by way of Guyana) with lyrics delivered to a sole drum, declaring, "I have to do a tune to defen' the ghetto".

A capella

Ali Lakani also performed to music, of the recorded kind, reflecting, "sometimes I think it is an experiment we are living in". A piece without music spoke to the hard labour behind fashionable clothes, commenting, "oceans overflow while sweat shop workers stitch and sew/oceans overflow while we have closets full of clothes".

Jarawa (Joel Ellis' middle name, which he performs under) was active onstage as he observed "the good die young, evil reigns many dynasties", concluding that although he "put some words on paper, but dem tief it", it was still OK, as "all a my poem dem copyright".

Poet Oku Onura's voice was on the recording for the rub-a-dub track for the next poem, Ellis adding lyrics live and ending with a "blaze!". As a father, he encouraged all to "do things right for the sake of the child".

There was another kind of thaw for St George to deal with, as after an opening poem on matters of war which started with singing ("somebody tell me why a bunch of boys fighting in the Middle East on the news again") and explaining poetically why "I do what I do", he noted the lack of audience warmth at Weekenz.

But he thawed them out, combining with Benjy Myaz, who played guitar and sang beautifully, in Psalm style, playing the drum slung around his neck as the two alternated verses.

Handclap

He got a handclap going and it was sustained as he insisted "how can you cure a disease in a fruit, you must start at the root".

And Blakka Ellis, who said that writing was the art closest to his heart, delivered 'Newer Dub', 'Post-War' (before which, he referred to his New Year's Eve 1975 arson experience), 'Definition', 'Adam and Juliet' and 'Black History: Anancy Story', written out of a workshop at York University, conducted by Jamaican Honor Ford-Smith.

Neil Williams' photography was on large screen, Andy from the Turks and Caicos started the open- mic segment and flames glowed in lampshades on some tables, their steady presence testament to the change in weather from the rain and wind of the night before.