Poems

A West Indian compliment

Like a dust devil - a small compliment swirled out of hand

All eyes on Australia

Gayle force winds blew in lyrics as cool as winter winds in North America

Or cold was it? Cold or cool?

Whatever it was, the Internet blew up as quickly as a mean machine making its turbo spool.

Maybe he wasn't taught one of life's golden rules?

"There is a time and place for everything".

So beautiful, such a blessing.

"For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid" - then just be bold, why take cover?

Quite a bold move - on air, trying to bowl her over.

McLaughlin ... seemed to be laughing

A small chuckle, to contain composure

A name and smile now - has a more global exposure

Feedback positive, feedback negative

A friend said to me "It makes him seem cocky" - remember, though, all in life is relative

What do you think? Well, okay, for now it's

tentative - as we all have our own perspectives

To some it was cheeky - for others not, but yes, all criticism

Respect, though, to her professionalism

Let's raise our glasses - a champagne to women everywhere

Let's raise our glasses - a champagne to all who see what they want and take a dare

Like a dust devil - a small compliment swirled out of hand.

- Sandre O. Lowers

If I could

If I could I'd cry their tears

For my smiles trade their pains

I'd give them wings to fly

Far beyond the grasp of bitter years

As I skirts life's open roads

Of hurt and shame and broken dreams

If I could I'd wear their scars

Like diamonds etched in crown

I'd hang my soul on Hell's gate

Keeping at bay the devil's wrath

So they'll grow free

Chasing love and childhood dreams

- Anthony Gordon

Twenty-fifteen

Twenty-fifteen election date blank

The bobbing and weaving goes on

There are many more voters

To be placed on the voters' list

Has the maker spoken

Has the maker spoken to

His daughter

The sea of green supporters

The sea of orange supporters

Jumping

Prancing

Throwing jargon

Ministers and candidates go greeting

The kissing

The hugging

The handshakes

The patting on shoulders

All in high spirits

Waiting to hear the election date

And this was it

The twenty-fifteen election date is blank

And the vuvuzelas blared

The twenty-sixteen election month is February

And the vuvuzelas blared

But no election date

Shocking to many

Surprising to many

Alarming to many

Aggravating to many

And many continue to go with

the flow

- V .O. Ricketts

Me deh give notice: Representation,

not misrepresentation

"Christ hath regarded my

helpless estate"

Yes, my people

I hear your cry

for representation, not

misrepresentation

cause you poor and African they can't spell or pronounce your name correctly

they only want to pronounce you dead

My people

I have another guess for them

"Want no dead nuh call duppy"

and we living!

When me come to represent, I WILL BE PRESENT!

Me is de people

Me only have myself to give to you

but you is me and me is you

Vote for ME

for ME is YOU and YOU is ME

My people, we going to end misrepresentation

we going to boycott all those who want us to be invisible

poor, jobless to tun worthless, dem tun up, we tun dun

must talk with Mama P, Papa P, Baby A

and fi none no want me

me can always be independent, plenty letta not only P OR A in de alphabet

can spell nuff word

so me not making few letta make me illiterate

we will walk on foot

we on de 'CAN GAIN' trail

taxi

bus operator

me ah call on you to be in the fight wid me

'cause is people like me who pay fare on your bus

listen, listen to me, my people,

for I have heard

your cry!

Me see yuh, early morning 24/7 lift basket

roll de tyre while 'executive' gone on vacation

bank lock and you is one ah secure economy cash flow

'Whatever my lot'

God knows it is not a lot

but nobady naw thief mi birthright

mi land, mi hand,

rise up my people

beautiful breadfruit and tree

de sea, the rocky rockstone mountain way

whey granny crave and cut banana give me

music operator

just volunteer

bus de tune fi mi

let we teak ova

the patient knows about care!

cabbie Joe is de ambulance fi diabetic insulin injection

cut flat bridge, part red sea, swimmer Keith dive and

rescue

victim, save life, no government can pay fi fi him service

long before soldier arrive, extraordinary people on the ground apply first aid kit, push CPR

see mi meek it teak time

de people 'theyselves' dealt with the 'abstract'

'ah nuh one praya we pray'!

me roots in de tree

so no matter where me bush deh grow

all me leaves ah

photosynthesise

Wherever me name deh ME can give account

if me neva deh deh dem can't call me name!

So call me, me ready fi

legislate on 'watergate'

Thank you, Jesus, fi se ME name

print bold pon ballot paper

tun MP, PM, Parliament

Government!

PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC!

- Helen-Ann Elizabeth Wilkinson

Rest for the weary

The darkening sky foretell the coming night

When living creatures seek a place to rest

Yet some whose life is just an ebb and flow

Have no place to rest, no place to go.

A long day of toil or idleness is past

A day perhaps when neither work nor play brought joy

When contentment did not show its face

As hunger for life's treasures its illusions cast.

Some have beds on which to lay their heads

But sleep eludes them and they know not why

For pain or treasures push the sleep away

And restless passions draw their thoughts astray

Lord, grant me rest at close of day

Remind me, Lord, a prayer to say

A prayer not for myself alone

But for the world which, Lord, you own.

- Otis-May Wills

Hear you speak

I try to keep going

without Your wind beneath my wings

I try to be optimistic

about a future blessing I will receive

You're here I know

because I am still afloat

but how exactly does my future go?

I want to hear You speaking to me

I wanna feel Your presence near to me

so I can feel the strength to go on

and not worry about the 'here and now'

can I still claim Your promises

and will You grant them to me?

Father please intervene

I need to hear You speak.

- Nicole N. Watson

Depression

Is there a light at the end of this dark tunnel? Is there a way out these thoughts? This depression caves me in, my mind is about to spin.

Hidden secrets nobody knows

Eyes are open, hands are fisted

Deep inside I'm all wrapped up and twisted.

So many excuses and so many lies

They keep asking, how am I this way and why?

Greet them with a smile so they can never tell. I am alive but dead, just look at the invisible blood I've bled.

Oh depression, your a friend of mine, your here for a while, might as well we eat and dine.

Listening loudly to a silent scream.

I'm not gone but my mind has drifted.

Don't expect much, this depression has got me twisted.

Empty and lost are the feeling I'm gifted.

Today is just yesterday's tomorrow

The trees dry up, the leaves drifted and this depression still has me wrapped up and twisted.

Don't feel sorry for me, am on my knees, begging God please, to free me from this depression that makes me feel I've got no needs.

I'll make progress, just let me be. The Father and I are working things out, finally!

- Davina Bennett

Continued cycle

Twisted,

discarded like trash to the pavement

Bullets rips through the body

Tearing the soul from its vessel

Another ghetto child is left fatherless

To continue this vicious cycle

The hero he looked up to is no more

No one to teach him right from wrong

It doesn't matter how much she tries

Some mother's just aren't strong

The street welcomes this child

In its bosom it holds him close

In his mind he thinks this is where he belongs

Lacking a sense of direction he chooses wrong

What he doesn't understand is the path he walks

As an excruciating end

Can't blame his mother

she has tried

A mind is made up to take revenge on the ones who took is fathers life

And the cycle continues like pinning clothes out to dry

While she prays for guidance

Shots rang out in the distance

Phone rings

Call received

Tears roll down her cheeks

She moans

As news of her lifeless child came from the phone

A father's gift to his child which is nothing but a curse

For if he had stick around his son might not have ended up in a hearse

- Xavier Frazer

Immortalised through poetry

Even when I die

My voice shall cry

Immortalised through

The mind`s eye

And when I rot

You will not forgot

You will hear my poetry

More than the ticking

Of the clock

I shall live, and live on

I shall give, and give on

Immortalised through poetry

As my words and I are one

Me, you will remember

January to December

Through autumn, spring

Summer or winter

I shall be alive

Each time my poetry is read

I shall be revived

Then shall you know that I

Have been immortalised

Printed upon the pages

Of time

My words are divine

Ink that will never fade

Between the covers of books

Treasured by the intellects

Immortalised in a place

No one will forget

My body may have perished

And become one

With the earth

But each time

You open a book

It will have been my rebirth

Page by page you turn

Age by age you grow

Generation after generation

Will know

LEON PRYCE

Not only my name

But my very soul

Will be immortalised

In their thoughts.

In the hearts of those who

Shall revere me

I live on for eternity

- Leon Pryce

To plan for the future is to live for tomorrow

living today requires presence of mind .

To discover the self is to look in the mirror,

to not know yourself is to be totally blind .

The pursuit of pleasure can oft be your downfall -

affected sobriety causes premature aging .

To be resolute indicates strength of character ,

but obstinacy means you will not change your mind .

To be faithful in love shows purity of heart -

to be varied in lovers proves you are uncontrollable and wild .

To seek out knowledge you must be inquisitive -

to accept what you are told is the way of a fool .

Constant suspicion needs a mind that won't rest -

to trust everyone is a sure way to lose .

Bravado indicates ignorance of danger -

to be courageous is within every man .

To be wise is to continually search for the answers ,

but stupidity is to think that you have them all .

To be always unsmiling is to be dull and lifeless -

to laugh at nothing is the way of a child .

To be humble proves you know you are equal -

egoism means you think yourself better than all .

To accept God is to marvel at the mystery of life -

to deny him means you have figured it out .

Shining your light is expression of individuality ;

to be one of the crowd is to be lost in the dark .

Madness is to keep your mind stagnant ,

but exhaustion means you have worked it too much .

Vanity is to think you are special -

though it really is a shame if you think you are not.

- Kevin-Andrew Moreno Sheriff