Lyrks
Lyrks
Lyrks
Cover Art

Unrighteousness of Man / Naming Lyrics by Kamau Brathwaite

Humboldt Caribbean Lit

0

Brathwaite's reading of this poem can be heard on SoundCloud or by opening this annotation
Unrighteousness of MammonUnrighteousness of Mammon
hotels for tourists rise on the sites
of the old empire's promenades of cannon.
Where Nelson walked, lost in his pirate's
patch, new captains and their irate
wives watch flying fish file by.
Such history we write
is stripped and torn
by whip, by wind, worn
by the wave from heart,
from memory, from book,
and look:
blue chains of islands
break; freedom surrounds us
like the wave round rock;
enchants, encircles, isolates us from
that fear, that hope, that protest,
that was our common ground.
Naming1How then shall we
succeed?
The eye must heed
the meaning
the eye must be free
seeing.
2What is a word
to the eye?
Meaning.
Seeing the pot-
boil of leaves in the wind
it is a tree
watching the pale hoist
of shining
it is the moon
climbing.
3The tree must be named.
This gives it fruit
issues its juices.
The moon must be named.
This renders love
madness.
There is a gladness
in the leaves
when the rain stops
before the rains stop.
This is the drought.
It is a fine haze.
On clear days
lifting from Africa
it is the desert's gift
of Christmas. By
April, deciduous trees
have lost their green
diligence. A broom
is sweeping the sky
of its leaves.
4So the eye waits,
the sun's gold weight
lightens
rain remakes trees
leaves brighten the dolour
the drying fish flies
in the pool.
Credits
Kamau Brathwaite

Kamau Brathwaite

About “Unrighteousness of Man / Naming” by Kamau Brathwaite

Read the complete lyrics to "Unrighteousness of Man / Naming" by Kamau Brathwaite from the album "Humboldt Caribbean Lit". On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Non-Music.

"Unrighteousness of Man / Naming" is performed by Kamau Brathwaite. from the album "Humboldt Caribbean Lit" This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "Unrighteousness of Man / Naming", explore more songs by Kamau Brathwaite using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

View all songs and biography for Kamau Brathwaite · Trending lyrics · Billboard Hot 100

Frequently asked questions

"Unrighteousness of Man / Naming" is credited to Kamau Brathwaite. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"Unrighteousness of Man / Naming" appears on "Humboldt Caribbean Lit".

Visit the Kamau Brathwaite artist page at /artist/kamau-brathwaite for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.