Poems

Empire to Labour

Sharpe, Grant, Garvey, Bustamante, Manley

Empire to Labour, all weighed their plea

Shovel, hoe, brush, paint, axe, and the Stanley

Work use' to stretch as far as eyes could see.

Out of sight out of mind say we forgot

Rented paradise sharp exploitation

Now our leaders tug for the bigger cut

Discrimination victimisation.

Face n' Gram, painted walls now posted walls

Labour unrest now just a day to rest

YS', Nanny Turtle Dunns Reach Reggae Falls

Alms than arms free the day, to be the guest.

We'll again unite a muscled lion

Volunteer to develop, our Zion.

- Sandre Lowers

***

The Carnage of Children

This is too much

I can't take it anymore

We need to protest

No time to demure

These vicious murders

need to have some sympathy

Why are they putting our children's life in jeopardy?

These murders

we cannot condone

be cause these murders' hearts are as hard as stone.

The children are the future

Why would someone do such a thing?

Why would you kill a child?

Do you know it is agonising?

The killing of children needs to be stopped

PERMANENTLY

Killing a child!

How callous can you be?

I feel very depressed

because the next one could be me.

I just want God to

help me not to lose my bright sight

so I can see what my future will be like

I'm not going to wish bad for them

I just want them to stop

Instead of bringing these children down

bring them to the top

Their atrocious behaviour

they must mend

Many times I pray to God

for the carnage of our children to end.

Rumario Archer, 15

***

REAL LOVE

As the flowers bloom and the trees shed new life

so he sweats and toils for her delight

stares in her eyes like rays piercing snow

daily his love for her would grow

if only she knew how much he loved her

if only the skies could tell the tale

he pours out his last to comfort her

cradles her from every tear

he knows the past withers like an infarct

material knows no boundary on her part

living for new excitement in her face

his heart knows no other place

and when time finally comes to a rest

he'll know she has only the best

- Lasume Kinghorn

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