Poetry 1

I don't say sorry just because I

thought I was wrong

I say sorry because I hate the

person you made me become

When turmoil lurked in our path

and we exchanged words that

should have never been said

We wonder if this is really the

end

To a friendship that was once so

true

I would have done anything for

you

I would have probably caught a

grenade for you

I'm just kidding, let's just leave

that up to Bruno Mars

But enough of the laughter, the

gimmicks and the jokes

Because friendship is to be taken

seriously and that is the one I really

value the most

So don't be surprised when I say

I'm sorry

Because really, I'm just avoiding

the aftermath

An aftermath where I probably

would have lost you as a friend

If I didn't say those three words

So I'll say them again

I am sorry

- Nastasia Findley
_______________________

The power of love

Love is powerful

It overpowers you

It makes you weak

Strips you of everything

Leaves you empty

You question the power of love

But you will never understand

Its true strength

For love is in a

Category by itself

No one really knows

The power of love.

- Theresa Peters
___________________________

Forever thankful

I am forever thankful to my

father up above

For all that he has done for me

Oh how benevolent is he

Always covering me under his

wings

He never leaves me out of his

sight

Whether morning, noon, day or

night

A firm ground he gives for me to

stand on

And a soft and tender pair of

hands

He walks with me all the time

Like a true father does and

guides his child's life

God is my source of strength

when mine proves futile

Though I journey uphill

I'll hold my head high because

I'm at the Lord's will.

- Tamaya Tate
__________________________

Survival

I was born in a city

Where there is no love, no unity

I was born in a country

Where disease and hunger bites

As if a mosquito is sucking your

Blood

I was born in a world

Where my colour means

segregation

I was born in a land

Where hardship lies

Where power means corruption

Where killing means surviving

I was born in a home

Where one bed means five people

Where one slice of bread means

five bellies

I was born in a universe where

surviving means giving up your life

for the next generation to be free.

- Christena Williams
_________________________

Avatar

The eggshells are now powder

But I still tip on my toes

Hovering through the halls

Like the duppy you used to duck

in your bathroom

Me a spectre of possibility

Like days of future yet to come

Pricking your flesh

The unusual tickling and

prickling

Of raising skin

Standing in the clearing of a

setting sun

Passing is the cold front's breeze

Tomorrow comes to take away

today's unease.

- Yannick Nesta Pessoa
_____________________________

Pretty woman

Pretty woman, where does your

secret lie?

Is it at the meeting of your

thighs?

In the blinking of your eyes?

Or the dimples in your smile?

Pretty woman, I cannot lie

All the men's hearts dance with

delight when they see you

passing by

But why?

Tell me where your secret lies

It is not at the meeting of my

thighs

The warmth of my smile

Or the beauty in my eyes

But it's the fact that I never can

promise what I really feel inside

And the fact that I have been

criticised, yet the truth I never

hide

You see, I'm a victim of such a crime

That steals your pride and

incarcerates your mind

You will understand when I tell

you of that time

When that monster crept into my

crime

Gently touched on my prize and

impulsively bruised my mind

The statement "I want to go, but

where to go?" was constantly

plaguing my mind

But no one took the time, to find

out what was on my mind

I felt like Judas, no!

I was only his copycat

Pretty woman, my life is bitter-

sweet

I have plenty men falling at my

feet

And certainly I don't want to

seem cheap

But my promiscuity is explicitly

defined

So pretty woman, you ask, where

does my secret lie?

Well I am the secret, the secret I deny.

- Talsia Williams
_______________________________

Ashamed of black

Black people ashamed of their

beauty

ashamed of their race

they cry

they run

they hide their faces

because of their colour they are

disgraced

others gone in the cool shade, far

away from the sun

running away from the sun-bun

they say made them black

afraid to say they are black and

proud

they would rather hide

themselves in the crowd

so many things they will do just

to become white or brown

they are shamed

ashamed of what?

Their blackness.

- Demeter Edwards
__________________________

You've changed

You weren't always this bitter

toward me

Things were going so well

between us

You're not the same sweet girl I

met two years ago

Everything is different now

You were so excited to have

someone in your life

You weren't even concerned

about the fact that I was twice

your age

In fact, you were very happy

with me

You treasured my photograph so

dearly

You looked at it at nights and in

the mornings before you went

to school

You even told your mom that I

loved you and you loved me too

You couldn't go to bed without

calling or texting me no matter

how late it got

You loved to hear my voice on

the phone

Sometimes you asked me to say

your name again

And I was happy to say it

The secret I kept from you

suddenly destroyed our dreams

And since you found out that I'm

married, you've changed

I know I should have told you, I

was going to

You said you forgive me, but you

won't forget

What does that mean?

You hardly speak to me anymore

You said you're not interested in

me, you never were

But we both know you lied

I know I don't deserve your love,

Renae

Nevertheless, you're still the one

I'm thinking of, the one that I

truly love.

- Marlon Pitter
_________________________

Where is freedom?

I am myself

But not free

Where is freedom?

I am not sure

My mirror is clear

But you called it opaque

I still linger

Wondering

Why you want me to be you

when I should have freedom

deciding, deciphering and

understanding me

I made my confirmation

but you reject my decision

So, tell me, am I free?

Where is freedom?

Freedom is in your thoughts

Soul and mind

but others say no.

- Barbara Dixon

I don't want to fight

I want to love you through the

nights

love you for the rest of my life

I don't want to fight

I want to make things right

because I won't be able to sleep

peacefully through the night

I don't want to fight, believe me

I don't

Anytime there is a fuss, I don't

even want to shout

I don't want to fight

All I wanted is to hold you but I

am afraid that you would say

that it's not alright

I don't want to fight

All I wanted was to kiss you

But if you refused, that wouldn't

have made my night

I am not even angry or upset

I am just hurt because I can't be

intimate with the only girl that

makes me sweat

Still I am here trying to make

things right

Because I don't want to fight,

because if we break up, I won't

be alright

Fighting takes too much energy,

when I am finished I feel weak

but still that won't provide me

with peaceful sleep

You once told me that you felt

trapped, locked up like a caged bat

I don't want to be the one to

make you feel like that

Be autonomous, do what you

want to do

But I am here to support you

Still I don't want to fight, I don't

want to rush

And I just hope you know that

you're the only one that makes

me blush.

- Artnell Ebanks
____________________________

Never-ending love

The years have rolled by with a sigh

My mind slowly drifts with

thoughts of the west

Where resides one who's the best

Where each year lived, gives her

experience knowledge and

emotional

strength

As I reminisce, my heart reaches

out to that petite being

but a large fountain of love,

spilled to three generations

I have been blessed with that

fountain

that fountain of love overflowing

on me

Needless to say - I cannot, must not

and will not do anything

else but love and

cherish her

The one who is part

of my inner

joy, my

inspiration

One whose words

I hold dear

and for whom

I deeply care

One who is the

backbone for a

fearful family

to rest on

A Grandmother's

love is never-

ending

never tarnished, never

vanished

But in my heart is forever

lavished.

- Narda Lawful-Simpson
_________________________

Overcome your obstacles

Always allow the positive

things to overcome the

negative ones

Regardless of what your

present situations may be

Life is still worth living

Never see yourself as the

worst or lowest at any time

Because you are not,

obstacles are there to

test your faith, but

they can be undone

Through persistence and

patience

Don't stop there, please

proceed

on your road to success

And elevate yourself to

the highest heights

Even beyond your

expectations.

- Paul Green

The demon inside

It craves that addiction

It possesses you

And brings you into a realm

Not familiar to man

It has taken you over

Can't be contained

Can't be controlled

What you see

Is not real

It tears you up inside

Torments you

Makes you unhappy

Makes you feel dirty

It's all black

You will try to resist

But temptation overcomes truth

It feeds pleasure

And deep inside, it burdens pain

You cry out

But no one hears

It makes you yearn

That demon inside.

- Christena Williams

Hamilton's time cooking

I like to cook, but why don't you

look?

Don't you think I need a recipe

book?

This doesn't have to rhyme but

here goes

In a lime

Dash in the fish with a piece of

thyme

Steam all the way but never to

the end of time

Lime and thyme, I don't think

this is a good mix in mind

So here goes with a unique dish

of mine

Turn on the stove with a high

flame in mind

Melt the butter but don't let it

evaporate in time

Add your blended seasonings

that you may have in mind

But don't forget black pepper

and salt this time

Sauté only three minutes, to

burst those flavours in time

Add coconut milk and guava

juice, you think I'm crazy

No! This is only a creative mind

Place fish fillet in without put-

ting the bone on your mind

Cover up and let it steam in time

Whether you want to eat it with

rice and

wine

It's up to you in this world of

time.

- Stephen Hamilton
_______________________

Life

Life at this time is not for the

faint of heart

You always need to be ready to

make a brand new start

Pick up the best pieces and try

again

You are never too old, when it's

time to begin

When the road gets rough

You'll need to be tough

It is too short for sorrow

So work towards a better

tomorrow

Remembering the past can be

good at times

But don't let it hold you back ,

when it's time to climb.

- Denise Salmon
________________________

Dominoes

We are only opponents

Not enemies

Droll rivalry is our fame

We show what we can do

We hold the cards close to our

breasts

But the eye is watching over us

As we play the rugged game

Push, shuffle, shove and rattle

Ivory or wood, black or white or

brown

Rectangles

Ace blank, three deuce, two

black eyes

Double blank

Match!

End to end and angles

Partner, what you got?

Pass?

You double dead! Game block!

Who colt di game?

Look pon mi hand!

Why you knittin' yuh brow so?

Who lah-lah? Lalla-lalla-lalla-

lay!

Mek mi teach yuh di game

I bow! Domino! Is love!

Pass four Red Stripe

Man, what a game!

We are friends , not enemies

Sometimes we win, sometimes

we lose

Droll rivalry is our aim.

- Oren Cousins
__________________________

I will do more

I will do more than belong, I will

participate

I will do more than care, I will

help

I will do more than believe, I

will practice

I will do more than be fair, I will

be kind

I will do more than forgive, I

will love

I will do more than earn, I will

enrich

I will do more than teach, I will

serve

I will do more than live, I will

grow

I will do more than be friendly, I

will be a friend.

- Kellion Henry
__________________________

Of Dudus

The guns were ready, tension in

the air

The army was creeping near

Barricades up

You could hear a pin drop

While men scampering in female

frocks

Who could tell a terrible tale

With massive bloodshed, will

justice prevail?

Seventy lives and counting lost

When would this come to a halt?

The gunfire ceased, women cry

and plead

It was a continuous battle that

would not yield

The firing stopped, but Dudus

nowhere in sight

Would this cause the people

fright?

A great escape was to be made

A pastor came to the rescue to

make

This was something they

couldn't understand

Their capture was needed to be

executed and fully planned

It is comical to see a thug on his

knees

Especially wearing a women's

weave.

- Blaine-Alexander Thomas
____________________________

My saviour

Holy one, you shed your blood

for me

You keep me dry from the flood

You provide bread for me when I

am hungry

You comfort me when I am

angry

You are no stranger to me

because you always

Protect me from danger like a

Texas Ranger

I won't grumble because I don't

own a Lexus

My mind is far from material

things

Because you make me humble

Because of you I wake up with

happiness

Inside my heart and I never want

your

Presence to depart from me

- Damion L. McCatty
____________________________

Humour in crisis

Nobody can cross it, but maybe I

can't recall

The people "what are deading"

will never know at all

It's good that there is humour in

crime, violence and dons

Take heed, be on the lookout,

some people are running racket

Be careful now, my friends,

because the people "are very

pickpocket"

You could be pathologically

mendacious and you don't

even know

Star boy says you can't stay

around here, so pack your bags and go!

- Brenda Moulton