God and Elections

 

 

To whom did God listen

If He listened at all?

No doubt both sides prayed;

Both on Him called.

 

Whose request was honoured?

Did God play a part?

Did he actually set it up

From the very start?

 

Did He cast a vote

Not one but two

And did He influence the voters

In the voting booth?

 

Would it have been fair

In your opinion

If God took a side

In this recent election?

 

Did He decide

The victor and the vanquished

And tell me, if you can,

Did He grant your wish?

 

I would imagine

That Christians prayed

And they voted preferentially

As is the democratic way.

 

However, one side lost

And another won,

Why should not the losers feel

They were undone?

 

Did their faith play a role

In the victory wrought

Hence the lesser faith of the two

Defeat on them brought?

 

All these are questions

That we need to ask

But who can answer them?

Who’s equipped for the task?

 

 

“God puts up Governments

And He takes them down”,

You must have heard this one

Making the rounds.

 

But given its context,

Is this so today?

Does a theocracy and a democracy

Work in the same way?

 

Did the Israel of old

Operate like we do today?

Did they hold general elections

Allowing people a say?

 

And while it is true

The “ayes” favoured Saul,

Concerning the selection of a king,

Was it so for all?

 

Certainly not for David,

The prophet Samuel can attest

And in Father Jesse’s mind

David was not his best.

 

Not a shepherd boy

Who was not in war skilled

Even though a lion and a bear

He had killed.

 

Oh, and by the way,

He had slain a giant too

And put to ignominious flight

The entire Philistine troop.

 

 

No ballots were cast

As in general elections today

And unlike today, generally,

The people had no say.

 

We must not blame God

For the choices we make

When things begin to fall apart

And our hopes dissipate.

 

For while we vote

As is our democratic right,

Christians can only pray and hope

Our leaders see the light.

 

That divine light,

That “thus saith the Lord”

That is the hallmark of leadership

That follow God’s Word.

 

For given the “separation”

Between state and church,

The church is basically regulated

By legal experts.

 

They meet in Parliaments

And they pass the laws

That the church must abide by

Even though flawed.

 

 

God is not a politician

Out begging for a vote

And with that said I will end

On this sober note.

 

Stewart Russell © November 6, 2024

 

 

Most Controversial Ever

 

Not Wendell McClean

Or Eric Sealy,

Some may say Caswell Franklyn

Of more recency.

 

Maybe some world figure

Like Donald Trump

Or someone long ago interred

Or in a cemetery dumped.

 

Pardon the word ‘dumped’

But some have been treated thus;

Dumped in an unknown hole

Without any fuss.

 

Controversial is seen

As a very negative thing,

In terms of the political playing field

It is whichever wing.

 

The hard-fought for freedoms

Versus the hierarchy,

In the not too distant past,

Slaves versus the plantocracy.

 

 

 

A very assertive slave

Was seen as controversial by most

And by Massa in particular

As an adversarial force.

 

So that controversial

Means adversarial for some
And often it is the controversial ones

For which the authority guns.

 

 

Take for example, Caswell,

Who is clearly left-wing,

Refusing to conform to authority

And doing his own thing.

 

Opposing the Government

And vexing many people

Especially those of a partisan spirit

And BLP gullible.

 

A Government that fixes

What it unfixed

In a way to convince the people

It was never fixed.

 

That behaves as though

There was none before them

Except of course, to blame predecessors

For the current problem.

 

The unions swallowed up

With the exception of only one

And all of Mia’s blinded adherents

Wishing that too were gone.

 

 

So that to date any oppose

Is seen as controversial

And in the case of Caswell Franklyn,

He is also adversarial.

 

To be avoided like a plague

That will destroy this country, Bim,

And consign it, as some believe,

To the IMF stuff bin.

 

In the absence of controversy

People see only one way

And become like puppets on a string,

Dumb as dried hay.

 

However, Caswell is not

The most controversial person ever,

No, that distinction, I dare say,

I reserve for another.

 

He was controversial

Before he spoke a word,

I know to yourself you are shouting,

“That is most absurd!”

 

 

And it would have been

Were it not a fact

That the very promise his Father gave

A certain king tried to retract.

 

And he came to give to man

God’s utmost for man;

Namely, that of reconciliation

In His redemptive plan.

 

You see, my friend,

Controversy can be good or bad,

The most controversial person ever

Has made me glad.

 

He came to his own

And his own received him not,

I thank Almighty God today

I am not in that lot.

 

It was not without reluctance

But mine he finally overcame

And today I am a born-again believer

In Jesus’ name.

 

It is not Caswell Franklyn;

That designation must go to another,

It is Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour,

The most controversial ever.

 

 

What the authority demanded

Jesus opposed

For their way was the wrong way

Not right, as they proposed.

 

Finally, they exchanged him

For their worst enemy,

Caesar, of all people,

What ignominy!

 

“We have no king but Caesar”

Was their cry

And with that pleaded with Pilate

That Jesus must die.

 

If it is controversial

To fight for the good of others,

Then let us emulate Jesus

And be his follower.

 

Stewart Russell © September 30, 2023

It’s Gone! It’s Coming!

 

It’s gone!  It’s gone!

Christmas Day is gone,

With that there’s a new focus

As the New Year dawns.

 

Old Year’s night is nigh

And the Bajan spirit is high

But there are still protocols

And so, we must comply.

 

COVID is under control,

It at least appears that way

And as we celebrate, I pray,

From this we do not sway.

 

But besides COVID-19

Something else is in the air,

It’s election time in Barbados

The PM has made this clear.

 

January 19 is the date

With Nomination Day the 3^rd,

By now every single Barbadian

Should have already heard.

 

 

Many have been caught

With pants below the waste,

Some will view this suddenness

With nothing but distaste.

 

The reality is, However,

Barbadians must decide

Whether to retain the Government

Or on a new rely.

 

Whatever the people decide

The PM will give her support,

This is in essence what she said

According to a news report.

 

So, it’s gone!  It’s gone!

Christmas Day is gone,

And before its after-effects settles

An election day will dawn.

 

Do enjoy Old Year’s night

And do so with common sense,

At church or otherwise

Do not be an offense!

 

Maintain the protocols

Do not let your guard slip,

So that contrary to popular opinion

COVID will soon be licked.

 

Christmas Day is gone

And New Year’s Day is near

But on the horizon of Barbados

Election Day appears.

 

Stewart Russell (9) December 28, 2021

 

 

We the People

 

 

We the people

But the people did not vote,

That there was no public consultation

Is a matter we should note.

 

A people that were disenfranchised

For centuries even,

To the extent that even today

Many are still feeling threatened.

 

A people, let me emphasized,

That faced an uncertain future,

That had little or no hope,

So grim was the picture.

 

But a people, however,

That have come a mighty long way

That are politically enfranchised

And can now have a say.

 

 

Free and fair elections,

A seamless change of Governments,

A lot of hot air blowing

But with no violent intent.

 

Feverish and fervent campaigning

With everyone having a say

But finally abiding by the majority,

This is the people’s way.

 

I said all of that to say this

Regarding the proposed Charter,

Let us not renege on best practices

And become the butt of laughter.

 

Who proposed this Charter?

And where are the people in this?

What was the extent of due process?

There must have been a list.

 

Are the check boxes being ticked?

And where at present the process?

Is the document signed and stamped

With no possibility for redress?

 

Republic Day just days off

Seems like a foregone conclusion,

President elected, date confirmed

But “we the people”? An illusion.

 

We the Government, it should be,

The people had no say,

This proposed Charter could be law,

Is this the new way?

 

We the people?

No, we must wheel and come again!

In God I hope we still trust,

Let's keep Him in the frame.

 

Stewart Russell © November 20, 2021

 

Where de Public Gone?

 

 

How we gine be a republic

And we en ask de people?

Wuh we frighten ‘bout?

We expecting trouble?

 

I did lying down in my bed

And sudden so I jump up,

De way we doin’ tings dese days

We gine run out o’ luck.

 

If we don’t put in de public

It would only be a Re-

And we leffin’ out de people

So dah’s all it could be.

 

Before sixty-six

We had to bow to de throne

The Queen was we monarch

And Bim din we own.

 

But under Errol Barrow

We decide to get marry,

That meant running we own affairs

Irrespect o’ de Monarchy.

 

De chile had become a man

And he decide to lef’ home,

He tek heself a wife

And he went ‘pon he own.

 

At least dah’s wuh I tought

But he din went ‘pon he own,

‘Cause even doh he did marry

He like he still live home.

 

He din he own boss

‘Cause he mother still hold sway,

Apparently, this was Bim,

Still in de colonial way.

 

 

Well ‘long come Mia Mottley

And she want to brek clean,

So we gine become a Republic

And dismiss de Queen.

 

We gine marry to de people,

De people gine hold de sway

But she en botherin’ to ask dem,

She en gine dah way.

 

So, yuh see wuh I mean

By “where de public gone”?

Wuh, yuh en even start out yet

And yuh lost yuh form.

 

If yuh doan ask de public

Yuh could only be a Re-

‘Cause de public is de people

I hope all yuh see.

 

Sorry fuh de lil bit o’ Trini

But dah’s de influence,

I gine soon shut muh mout

Before dey call me a nuisance.

 

When yuh disregard de public

Yuh gine only left de Re-

And dah gine left yuh wide open

To be a nobody.

 

Re-who? duh gine ask,

Dah could be Trinidad or China,

I know fuh sure

It en likely to be Dominica.

 

So leh we spare a little time

And ask John-public…

But apparently, we don’t intend to

And dah’s why I smell a trick.

 

Stewart Russell © November 13, 2021

 

For the Country’s Sake

I am not a fan 

But we’re in a jam

Let’s give her a break 

For the country’s sake

My party messed up

Hence this bitter cup

So give her a break

For the country’s sake

She promised stuff

But things real rough

We must give her a break 

For the country’s sake

Whether DLP or UPP

Or any other party

Please give her a break

For the country’s sake

You called for a change

It was so arranged

So give her a break

For the country’s sake

The people spoke

By the “X” they wrote

Let’s give her a break 

For the country’s sake

The DLP had ten years

The BLP now appear

Give her a break

For the country’s sake

I had to frown

DLP get back their tongue

But give her a break

For the country’s sake

Now they can tell

All is not well

But give her a break

For the country’s sake

  

Those who know me

Know I am a “D”

But give her a break

For the country’s sake

It is only fair

If we really care

To give her a break

For the country’s sake

Adopt a good spirit

Make it a habit

And give her a break 

For the country’s sake

Let’s see what she can do

Might not be your view

But give her a break

For the country’s sake

Public workers get a bit

They were promised it

Give her a break

For the country’s sake

Some pensioners too

So don’t be blue

Give her a break

For the country’s sake

She took the broadside

Of a DLP campaign

Now give her a break 

For the country’s sake

The “D’s” had fun

Now they are glum

But give her a break

For the country’s sake

Whether “D’s" or “B’s

We’re all bajans

Let’s give her a break

For the country’s sake

Some questioned

The one-man opposition

But give him a break

For the country’s sake

Let’s trust in God

All praise to Him laud

And give her a break

For the country’s sake

And as we do

To our country be true

But give her a break

For the country’s sake

All hands on deck

Now give her the respect

And for the country’s sake

Please give her a break

Stewart Russell © June 2018