POEM OF THE WEEK: NHT - the Outameni Experience!

• NHT - the Outameni Experience!

Scandal after scandal - but dis ya one ya worth $180 million

Geezam peace! A suh NHT full a money and mi hut bottom a still dutty?

Not even zinc mi caah buy much less buy tile and dem liquid money like river Nile!

Hmm! Story come to bump, a wah dis now? Yes sah! The scandal bag bus

NHT buy out Outameni and many Jamaicans still caah own a hut

While Government coffers full and a run over and tax a gripe poor people gut.

Emm! What a calamity! This is absolute (shhh!) yu beta tappi

Ok, maybe I got a little bit emotional

But seriously though, it look like de Government under alcohol

And look pan de opposition - yes it is a tactic, scandal, bandwagon inna black plastic!

Wait ... Mr Holness! With all due respect Sir, is this just another sensational political talk?

Can I ask you something sir, yu eva apply to NHT and dem lef yu corner dark?

The mansion you have on the hill nuh need NHT money fi build that

I must hush up? But Sir, with all due respect please let me chat!

Both you and Sister P, sorry! I meant you and the Most Honourable Prime Minister

Need to find a way to unite and stop act like salt inna wound or stomach with vinegar!

While both a uno and uno 'friends' inna parliament sit at home comfortably

Uno nuh si seh the average Jamaican still nuh yet look like smaddy?

Look how long we a mek payments and still caah own residence

And the worse consequence - the NHT board confuse so now dem a play a game of monopoly

While nuff a wi especially many Civil Servants weh a suffer wage freeze deh a door inna breeze

All because NHT is a big scam weh stress the poor man with exorbitant mortgage plan!

Yes it is a scam, NHT nuh business bout yu pocket but rather its wallet!

While uno the rich ones nuh have that burden so uno fight over political office

And drag along the blinded loyal supporters in factions against each other with absolute malice

Some a seh shower and if a shower a rain fall pan dem zinc roof dem house flood out

Sar! Yu understand weh me a talk bout?

Some a seh power and JPS nuh need to add no stress cause them nuh have no house

Yet still dem a jump pan political bandwagon like dem a some blinded mouse

Yu lucky if yu waah call dem mice, a wi di sufferer a pay the price and it nuh nice

Yu know how hard it is fi wuk 40 years and still nuh have nuh where to live?

And speaking bout 40 years, Government need to pay the 99 year old woman - time to give!

If dem a purchase Outameni fi $180 million, yu mean to tell mi seh dem a tek 40 years to pay the woman one?

O gosh man and then dem seh 'out of many we are one'?

As KD would say "you (all) need to pack your bags and go!"

And wait, mi figat seh the PM neva know bout the deal - what a ordeal!

So it look like a monopoly game the board members a play and Mr Little bankrupt

So instead of going to jail since him caah pass go uno give him $200?

A mean$180 million, him must have a plan - maybe a Royal Palm Estate trilogy fi mek more dollars

Yes, Mr Little milk dem yes! Yu know Jamaicans prefer Royal Palm than the Blackburns?

So milk dem till it burn! But wait, a nuh dem it a burn, a wi, woii! Fyah more than Lutan

Mi waah mek this 'Crystal Clear' - NHT yu a hear mi? Mi waah mi money fi go build me mansion

What a condition ... children ... come here let us sing ... A-B-C-D- NHT

H-I-J-K nuh kill Madda P!, Q-R-S, T-U-V, W! Hex! Y and Zee

No my! No my! NHTTTTTTTTTT!

Hope dem bail me out ... like ... Out-a-meniiiii!

(Clap! Clap! Yeah ...)

- Czedale Smallwood

• Frustration

Overwhelmed by this roadblock

I've come too far to turn back

I can't stop, not now

I must find a way to pursue, somehow

Despite the highs and lows

Frustrated with hearing no's

It is simply not an answer I accept

So don't propose

You're negatives, motivates and encourages my talent

What I don't know, I invent

Your doubts, don't count

Finding a way out, is not even a challenge

My accomplishments will come

Despite the roadblocks and doubts, from some

God will reward this aching heart

He will expose the goals, I sought

My strength is the stairway to greater heights

The flight, to my destination

As I pray my way through this life

Of pure frustration

- Charm

• Grim Reapers

When I am with you I should feel happy

I am instead embraced with the indifference of a concrete heart

When you are with me you should feel safe

You are instead kissed with the gall of an embittered mouth

In this unceasing war that has been waged,

There are no spoils to be attained

The Labour for Love has been long abandoned

In exchange for toxic silence and corrosive words

So hardened skins and broken spirits

Are the fruits we must now harvest

And with bludgeoned hearts, now shut airtight,

We dig once more into the barrenness of

The Land called Us ...

For nothing ...

For something ...

For hope.

- Candace McGibbon