Old Time Characters Here are some poems about traditional mas characters. Read through the poems and decide which character you would like to dress up as for Carnival! Bat In my carnival troupe I glide, I swoop Rise on my tip toes Wings open and close Show the crowd How my bat dance goes Midnight Robber Stand in my way if you dare You mocking pretender Stop! Bow your head Ben your knees And Listen to my Robber talk! Fancy Indian I brandish my weapon Yell a blood-curdling whoop My warrior dance I perform with my troupe I shuffle, I hop, turn around On my sacred land I stamp the ground Pierrot Grande Scholar and master of jest I can spell any word So put me to the test I can tell of Kings good and cruel And how African Queens did rule Political and military leaders I can name Quoting Shakespeare and Keats my game Moko Jumbie Moko Jumbie is my name From Africa to the Caribbean I came Striding with my long legs across the ocean Rhythmical music is my potion I strut to the beat My head in the clouds Balance and do tricks As I look down over the crowd Dragon Out I crawl on Carnival day Imps hold my chains I dance and play Swooshing my tail to and fro Over holy water I don’t want to go Imps tease and pull And with a great big leap I jump and don’t even wet my feet Quiz Q.8: Which ocean did the Moko Jumbie cross in the poem? Previous Next Return to Carnival Leaning Resource THE CARNIVAL LEARNING RESOURCE IS TAKEN FROM THE BOOK CARNIVAL BY RHIAN KEMPADOO-MILLAR AND AYO JONES (2011). Illustrations © Rhian Kempadoo-Millar Banner photo © Tony Bartholomew (2019)