]Downtown Kingston and the port of Kingston,Jamaica.]

THE BALLAD OF DANIEL WAS A DON

Daniel was a don.,
Many women Daniel had;
He paid their rent,
He wove their hair,
Wives he borrowed
And their daughters he shared,
Men he ruled,
He owned their lives
His to command.
With books and shoes
And lunch and rules,
He sent their children to school;
By his own hand,
Daniel was a don.

Daniel was a don,
Many women he had,
Mules he sent to other lands
And drugs laden in mules,
By land,sea and sky,
And a gun or two he ran,.
Big and powerful many guns.
Daniel was a don.
Daniel was a don,
Many men he had ,
Dark men with guns,
Barking guns and swift justice meted,
To defend his turf;
Daniel was a don.

Daniel was a don,
He had many
Women and drugs,
Dark men and guns,
Wives, daughters and children,
Some he punished, others treated.
A mind for politricks.
A nose in it,
A voice to fit.
Land, sea and sky,
Turf to defend,
A hand in this
And an eye on that,
Daniel was a don.

Daniel was a don,
Many holes in his chest, he got,
Rivalry is a sharpened tool;
Jealousy is a poison’d dart;
Now stiff on his back, don Daniel lies,
From his tomb he speaks not,
He hears not,
Bloodied hands crossed upon his breast;
Some tears for him they shed,
Cheers he has not many;
Though some miss him,
No one fears him,
No, not any longer, don Daniel,
Daniel was a don.

READER'S COMMENTS

As implied in this poem, ghetto dons tend to have a short, glorious life.

DONS

Dons are probably a Jamaican phenomenon or likely called by other names in different countries . for instance, mafia in the United States, mafiosi in Sicily, camorra in Naples and onorata societa in Calabria in Italy.. Dons are recognized leaders, chiefly in the “inner –city enclaves” of Kingston, who head or rule some 400 gangs. Mr. Delroy Chuck , attorney –at –law and Member of Parliament, said of them: “ Dons could make living and community cooperation extremely difficult , even impossible , if they are treated as enemies, outcasts and misfits…..IT is the social environment that created them.” (Cf. “Working with the dons” ,The Gleaner May 16, 2003).

Such dons as Colin “Higher Monk” Hamilton, Pang, Anthony “ Stradegy” Wellington, were men of immense clout. Stradegy , don of the Easy Does Crew was killed. High Monk was also gunned down. Pang operated in Grant’s Pen. When Wlliam “Willie” Haggart was killed , the debate on the relationship between area dons and politicians that has been laid to rest for a while sprang up again, when some politicians attended his funeral.

“ Dons are persons usually of shady character who force themselves as leaders on communities that are organized as politically biased enclaves or garrisons over which they exercise great power and influence. Dons control territory which they nickname as turf. They lead or rule gangs. They exercise political influence. Mr. Chuck wrote: “ Politicians recognize and acknowledge their presence and influence and it is foolhardy to believe they can be ignored or sidelined…….They (the gangs) control the weapons of violence, and are responsible for much of the crimes. They provide security , material assistance and protection for residents mainly in the inner –city communities. They represent challenges to legitimate society and to the rule of law.”

Dons are known to be generous patrons and merciless dispensers of punish-ment to the communities in which they wield their importance and power, and to their enemies , as well. They acquire their wealth from underground and illegal activities such as drugs, protection and extortion racket, car stealing and a range of other crimes. It is strongly believed that dons obtain their wealth from underground and illegal activities. Such as drugs, protection racket or extortion, car stealing and a range of other crimes. They control vast sums of money, which are the main source of power and influence to infiltrate communities and to control turf.

Mr. Delroy Chuck (Cf. The Gleaner of May 16, 2001, “Yielding to the dons.” ,) claims that “poverty is the cause and breeding ground of much of society ‘s ills,” but that the dons and their gangs could not be completely ignored , having become an integral part of their communities. This poem. “Daniel was a Don,” is an attempt to portray the life and end of a typical don


This Poetry News Poem is a parody which seeks to capture, like a mirror, what life is like in a garrison or some deprived communities that have grown on the fringe of the city of Kingston, the capital of Jamaica. Kingston is a thriving city.
Over seventy (70 )inhabitants, two Policeman and a soldier were killed ( some innocently caught in crossfire) when the Jamaican Security forces entered a community known as Tivoli Gardens in search of a Jamaican nicknamed "dudus" or "The President" or "Presi" wanted by USA lawmen on charges of drug trafficking and gun-running. This community was fortified against entry of the Security forces by armed supporters of "dudus" There was a gun battle on
May 24, 2010, when a combined army and police group carried out a search operation for "The President" in Tivoli gardens. Dudus escaped and is still on the run. He is notorious as the most powerful don that has West Kingston has ever produced.

For more information, go to www. Jamaica- gleaner.com,

Last edited by cousinsoren 06-13-2010 at 04:44:55 AM