Ol'Higue by Mark McWatt
Ol'Higue by Mark McWatt
Ol'Higue by Mark McWatt
Mark McWatt
You think I like all this stupidness
gallivanting all night without skin
burning myself out like cane –fire
To frighten the foolish?
And for what? A few drops of baby blood?
You think I wouldn’t rather
take my blood seasoned in fat
black-pudding, like everyone else?
And don’t even talk ‘bout the pain of salt
And having to bend these old bones down
To count a thousand grains of rice!
Analysis
"You think I like all this stupidness
gallivanting all night without skin
burning myself out like cane –fire
To frighten the foolish?"
The Ole Higue begins with an explosive and argumentative first line. Note that the diction
(choice of words/language) is distinctly Caribbean, and reflective of her identity as an old,
irritable woman. She expresses great dissatisfaction with what she does- however she is
compelled to do so completely involuntarily. This alludes to an old wives’ tale told in the
Caribbean of a hag who sheds her skin at night, turns into a ball of fire and scares superstitious
people. She considers this act stupid, simply to 'frighten the foolish' superstitious who believe in
the myth. Note the alliteration here in 'frighten the foolish.'
"And for what? A few drops of baby blood?"
She reasons that the whole act of setting herself on fire without skin and flying around is far
more effort than it is worth. After all, a baby's body contains barely any blood, and for a mythical
creature to compulsively go through this routine for such a negligible quantity is ludicrous to
her- it is not rewarding at all.