I simply love Ms. Senior's poetry and so even before I knew the specified poems that had to be done I began working on this one. Hope you enjoy it!

1. Gourd
By Olive Senior

2. Dried Gourds

3. Humble took-took
IN JAMAICA, CALABASHES ARE GREATLY FAVORED AS NATURAL CONTAINERS
SMALLER CALABASHES ARE KNOWN AS "PACKIES"; THE MEDIUM SIZES ARE KNOWN
AS "TOOK-TOOK" AND TAKE THEIR NAME ECHOICALLY FROM THE SOUND MADE
WHEN WATER IS POURED FROM THE SMALL HOLE AT ITS TOP.

4. Packy
Jamaica trees CALABASH
This tree is small and spreading. The calabash
fruit is large and is not only found on the
branches of the tree but also on the trunk. It is
known by several names in Jamaica – gourdi,
goadyi, goadi and packy. Packy is the most
popular name.
Large calabashes are used as containers to
carry or store food and drink, while small ones
are made into musical instruments by filling
them with pebbles. Green calabashes are
often decorated and made into attractive craft
items.
The tree is native to the West Indies and
Central and South America.

5. The cosmic container
The worldview of santeros and other Orisha devotees is
based on the cosmology of the ancient Yoruba people.
According to this view, the cosmos is singular. There is no
this world and another world, but a single world with visible
and invisible elements. Visible elements include living
people, plants, animals, rocks, stars, rain, the ocean,
everything that can be perceived with the basic senses. The
invisible elements include those who have died and those
waiting to be born, the Orisha and Olodumare. Sometimes
the visible world is called Aiye (Yr. earth) and the invisible
world Orun (Yr. sky or heaven), but with the understanding
that earth and sky are of a single piece, not two separate
worlds as is commonly believed in Western cultures.
The Yoruba imaged the visible and invisible worlds as a giant
calabash. A calabash is a type of gourd that is often grown
for use as a container. The calabash of the cosmos is imaged
to be a spherical calabash cut along its equator to form two
halves containing the visible and invisible portions of the
world. There are two ways of understanding the calabash of
existence. One is using the concept of ashé, the energy of
the universe. The other is by looking at the different types of
beings that inhabit the visible and invisible portions of the
calabash and describing the interactions between them.
These two understandings are mutually exclusive, so that it
seems as though if one is correct the other can’t be.
However, both explanations can be found within the
mythology of the Yoruba and neither explanation is complete
in itself.

6. The scorpion of darkness
Scorpion men are featured in several Akkadian
language myths, including the Enûma Elish and
the Babylonian version of the Epic of
Gilgamesh. They were also known as
aqrabuamelu or girtablilu. They were first
created by the Tiamat in order to wage war
against the younger gods for the betrayal of
her mate Apsu. In the Epic of Gilgamesh, they
stand guard outside the gates of the sun god
Shamash at the mountains of Mashu. These
give entrance to Kurnugi, the land of
darkness. The scorpion men open the doors
for Shamash as he travels out each day, and
close the doors after him when he returns to
the underworld at night. They also warn
travellers of the danger that lies beyond their
post.

7. The cosmic snake
The serpent, when forming a ring with its tail
in its mouth, is a clear and widespread symbol
of the "All-in-All", the totality of existence,
infinity and the cyclic nature of the cosmos.
In Norse mythology Jormungandr (or World
Serpent) was thrown into the great ocean by
Odin and grew so large that he was able to
surround the earth and grasp his own tail.
When he lets ago, according to the myth, the
world will end in the final battle between the
serpent and Thor (his arch enemy) who kill
each other as Jormungandr poisons the sky.
Some have offered that in a similar fashion, by
releasing its tale to speak poison, Eden’s snake
destroyed the infinite.

8. ARAWANILI AND THE WATER-MAMA
Arawanili was chief of Kaieni. He was a good man, wise and brave, but his heart was sore as
he stood mournfully gazing over the wide expanse of waters. Then arose Orehu the Water-
mama, her shoulders glistening with the drops of water, and her hair flowing free, and she was
very fair to look upon. And she said, "Tell me thy grief, O Arawanili, and the sorrow of thy
people." Arawanili answered, "I am grieved for the afflictions of my people; from the babe in
arms to the aged man, they are tormented by the yauhahu (evil spirits) with fever, pain and
sickness. If it were human foe, we should ere this have destroyed them from off the face of the
earth, but without a charm we are as leaves driven before the blast of their displeasure. Then
said Orehu of the waters, 'Knowest thou wherefore I come unto thee? Now will I strengthen
thee and thy people against the wiles of the Yauhahu. Take this branch and plant it on yonder
hill, and when the season cometh for the fruit, thou shall take the first that falleth to the
ground, which thou shalt bring to this place, and at that time I will return unto thee." As soon
as she had left communing with Arawanili the waters received Orehu out of his sight.
After many months the fruit grew and ripened, and then one fell from the tree, and Arawanili
saw that it was large, round, and heavy. So at the time appointed, Arawanili carried the
calabash to the water's edge, and there he saw awaiting him - Orehu, who taught him to make
holes in the rind and through these to withdraw the inner parts of this strange fruit. For the
now hollow calabash she made him a handle gleaming bright with feathers, and put into the
calabash as few small white stones, made smooth and shining by the water. Then the great
Orehu gave to Arawanili the sacred plant, tobacco, which none then knew. These with other
charms, made all the evil spirits flee before the face of Arawanili.
When Arawanili was full of years he was gathered to his fathers, and from on high with
Aiomun Kondi he looked down upon the Piaimen who use his charms to fight against the
spirits who cause pain and sickness, while to this day may be seen in quiet places on the
river's bank, Orehu, the good spirit of the Waters .

9. Sacred gourds
The asson is a sacred rattle
used by the hougan or
voodoo priest
The scared Mbaraká
The shaman’s maraka

10. Webiology
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scorpion_man
http://www.khandro.net/animal_scorpion.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serpent_(symbolism
)
http://www.oocities.org/thetropics/shores/9253/legends1.html