Facing Our Real Reality in Our Year of Jubilee

As we celebrate our fiftieth year of Independence

The gains that were made appear a distant semblance,

Conflict and controversy are on every hand

And solutions for the same are in great demand.

On the crime scene our youth are snatched by gun and knife,

Movie styled executions are the hallmark of this strife

Not to mention the many who perish on our highways,

This has reached an alarming proportion in recent days.

Transfixed in the throes of fear and utter dismay

We ask ourselves, “What’s next?” as we go from day to day,

Somehow expecting to hear “Another one has gone.”

Such is the horrible news that comes with the awakening dawn.

There is a peculiar numbness that pervades our being

As we look around and contemplate what we are seeing;

It was never like this is the expression of the obvious truth,

Just a glance at the daily news will supply the proof.

There’s a disturbing restlessness even in our schools

As the authorities fight desperately to uphold the rules

And while some argue that the strap is to blame,

Immoral and undesirable behaviors become more ingrained.

Some intellectuals posit that the strap induces fear,

Creates bullying in our children and harbours despair,

And yet not one of the alternatives has made a dent

In arresting the deviant behavior on which our youth are bent.

I would wish to suggest as I review this scheme

That some fear is healthy while some is like gangrene,

One must be inculcated to facilitate all that’s honourable,

The other requires proactive steps to prevent anticipated trouble.

The Bible admonishes that those whom God loves He chastens,

No doubt there is something here that merits our attention,

Sounds a bit old fashioned and maybe a little mystique

But let’s face it; discipline without love is clearly incomplete.

Then there’s the cry that nothing works around here anymore:

Health services, garbage collection, water distribution, all full of woes,

Little productivity with road maintenance, a misnomer of sorts

And indecisive leadership reflected in the leaders and their cohorts.

A plethora of University grads forced to populate the block,

Alleviated somewhat as paid tuition now depletes that stock,

A public service incapable of responding to the newly trained

And private enterprise making excuses and exacerbating the pain.

The frustration evidenced in parents who are failing the young

Throwing up their arms in surrender defeated by this throng,

Many graduating to prison receiving society’s frown,

The future of this country, as it were, poured out on the ground.

And so trapped in the cauldron of this increasing onslaught

And sorely disillusioned by the useless ideas we’ve bought,

We buy into yet another; it’s called my relative, reality thought,

It’s a kind of pseudo reality we adopt when terribly distraught.

“Not as bad as it really is” obscures the real reality

And paints an illusory picture aimed at convincing you and me,

And if the artist is someone that we deem to be true

The more believable that illusion would become to both me and you.

Now the relative reality thought goes something like this,

It’s the best that it can be given the unpredictable twist,

And when one considers how many are in a greater mess

It’s a true indication that we are far better than most of the rest.

In view of such conditions here’s still the best place to be,

Right here in Barbados enjoying our relative reality,

More than likely it would have been worst if the others were in,

Under this administration the light’s not gone out just a little dim.

The truth be told, things are real hard and this justifies the fuss,

The real reality has now caught up with most of us,

If we are to make decisive inroads into changing our current state

We must first face up to this truth, make no mistake.

In plenty and in time of need so the Nation’s anthem reminds,

The plenty has diminished and the need’s on the incline;

Our brave forefather’s children must sow again the seed

And bring back pride and industry to satisfy our need.

For many have been obsessed with their avarice and their greed

And have accumulated their ill gained wealth with remarkable speed,

More often than not at the expense of those in their employ

Whom they have treated like an inexpensive toy.

Time to face our real reality and with all hands on deck

Work together whatever the weather to restore our country’s respect,

With God as our true leader and we adhering to His word,

May once again, before long, become the gem of the Caribbean world.

In the meantime, however, let’s salute this land for yet another mile

And praise God for those things we possess that have remained undefiled,

Let’s return to the value system that saw us through thick and thin

As we celebrate the fiftieth year of this our country Bim.

Stewart Russell© 2016