Poems

POEM OF THE WEEK

Jamaica, land so beautiful

It's the natural beauty of the island

something I understand

go to Blue Mountain

come, you will feel the passion

of this land

go to Hellshire Beach

and be at peace

drive along the coast

you will fall in love for sure

Jamaica will make you want more

go horseback riding in the hills

turn on the thrills

rafting at animal farm in MoBay

is the real getaway

Jamaica makes you want to stay

sunsets in Negril

Where should I begin?

Is it the jerk chicken?

Or our standard of living?

I feel free

this is where I want to be

- Jason M Callender

Pleading my innocence

Here I am pleading my

innocence

But it's so hard for me

If I smile they won't believe

If I am serious they wont believe

If I am silent they won't believe

and if I speak, oh it jeopardises

everything I would hope to achieve

I am as sure as the earth revolves around the sun

that I am innocent of all the things they say I have done

Those sixteen people thought everything I said was a lie

so they came back with a guilty verdict and sentenced me to die

Oh why?

- Orville Murray

Sticky situation - Lessons from Pitch Lake

The Official Tour guide

says:

"Watch out for the

soft parts ...

when animals, dog, puss or

human creature, get in there

if someone don't see you in time

it be does swallow you

up and we neva see you

'gain ..."

someone has to be there for you

to help

you cross, to get you unstuck

to lift you over the waters

where the ridge is

deep

bubbling cauldrons of

sulphur

smooth

healing waters

Someone has to carry you over

tar your basket to safety

Moses to King's Palace

Moses to Exodus

to

fulfil your destiny

poetry from Pitch Lake

- Helen-Ann Wilkinson

The music

He is unaware of the fact that sometimes things go against the grain

Sometimes the hunted becomes the hunter

Yes, she is tempted

But she decides it is best to be neither the hunter nor the hunted

Since she is already the prey of another and he hers

He is so encouraging that it causes something inside her to move

Oh, she wished he had no impact on her whatsoever

But why does he?

He does not realise that she had already written the song

And he has brought the music

What they do now is the dance to the song they had already created

The forbidden song and dance

Someone needs to stop the music

But who?

There is a pause

But he starts the music again

Clearly he wants to dance

She knows that he is a pro

He knows that he is a pro

But has chosen instead to pretend to be an amateur

The two are closely tangled moving dangerously slow

Someone has got to stop the music!

... or at least turn it down

- Corrie Cunningham-Brooks

Definitions of hopelessness

Talking

A pointless activity that gets us nowhere.

Love

What is that?

It does not exist here!

You

The one who hates me

Me

The one who hates you

Them

The seeds of this union

The end

That which is near.

- Corrie Cunningham-Brooks

Mi nah give up!

Mi live pan di gully banks

Dem class mi eena di lower ranks

But I an I praise Jah an give tanks

Mi liv like a pig eena sty

No money. No food. Mi cupboard dry

Hungry and sick til mi feel like mi a guh die!

Evy day hungry pikni crying dung di lane

Dis ting is get'n tu ma brain

Hunga an povaty drivin mi insane!

Hours beat

Mi nuh ha nuh food fi eat

Nuff screw face hungry yoots deh pan di street

Life in dis place bitta. It nuh sweet!

Life haad

Man always a draw blank kaad

But mi nu wah fi en up pah prison waad

Politician lik head wid donman an tief

Election time dem promise big relief

But dem only bring dung more grief!

Dutty tuff

Life ruff

Hunga an povaty nuff!

All mi hav is empty belly

Mi check di coknut tree an not even one jelly

Dem tief every one an sell'y!

Mi wake up dis mawnin. Nut'n eena mi cup

Mi hungry an not a ting fi sup

But mi nah give up!

Mi nah give up!

Mi seh mi nah give up!

- Anthony Morgan

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