I have a great friend
WAG is his name,
When we were growing up
Mischief was his game.
He had good parents
Both now deceased
But he was rather disgusting
This is to say the least.
I watched him grow up
He is younger than me,
We attended the same primary school
But not the same secondary.
Same church I must add
In this poem I will not name it
But as he grew older
Mischief was no longer a habit.
Oh, but he had a tough life
Tougher than most of us,
At times forced to change jobs
Conflicting with his faith in Jesus.
At school he struggled with English
Seems he couldn’t make the grade
But with great persistence thereafter
A pass he finally made.
Art too he pursued
Both “O” level and “Advanced”,
At both he achieved success
This was where he got his chance.
He was good at sketching
A face upon one’s description,
This would go a long way
In assisting crime investigation.
While working in the force
He became the first official police artist
And through this gift from God
He developed a lifelong practice.
Through his artistic expression
He has gained many a success,
Both locals and internationals
Have gazed upon his best.
Among his several accolades
Are awards of International note,
In Italy, England and Canada
He was the winner at the end of their vote.
This outstanding scout for years
Was presented to the Governor General
On the the 60th anniversary
Of scouting in Barbados.
He was presented also to the Queen
On a visit to this country,
For the 350th anniversary of Parliament
WAG shook hands with Her Majesty.
These are just a few
Of the kudos he received,
Fair exchange for the trust he showed
In the principles that he believed.
I cite his work in education
While working in that Ministry
He once served as a tutor
At the Cave Hill University.
Here’s an interesting point of interest
You would recall his challenge with English,
Well, while pursuing a degree in the Arts
He was the yearbook editor at his College.
For three years he held that post
And did a great job based on the reviews,
Not daunted by failures of the past
Took the challenge to head up College News.
While I could go on and on
How he achieved from a small beginning
I will conclude with two achievements
That would make a happy ending.
First the several books he has written
His first in the year two thousand,
His sixteenth in two thousand and sixteen
Year of our fiftieth anniversary celebration.
Having retired from the Public Service
He now has his own enterprise,
A symbol of growth and development
By God’s grace much has been realized.
His course he navigates with determination
His life dedicated to its demand,
His destiny constantly in his focus
He works with heart and head and hands.
Like WAG we can all aspire
To be the best that God would require,
To press on even when we tire
To become workmen worthy of our hire.
Stewart Russell © 2016
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