In My Humble Opinion

 

 

Throwing out the baby

With the proverbial bathwater!

Here is a caution to the DLP

Re every son and daughter.

 

We appreciate your concern

Regarding the unnecessary haste

For a Barbados republic status

Minus a Constitution apace.

 

However, it is now a fact

And cannot now be reversed,

To blank Independence celebration

Is to my mind worse.

 

Absenting yourselves

From this national event

Is tantamount in my humble opinion

To signaling a wrong intent.

 

Independence and Republic

Are both historic facts,

One emerged out of the other-

I trust we appreciate that.

 

Independence is established

Republic is on course,

Let us strive for national unity

And not this silly divorce.

 

 

I wish the DLP were present

In today’s National celebration

Especially having been given

An official invitation.

 

DLP’s absence is rather silly

And in a real sense misdirected

And in the midst of their protest

Independence is also rejected.

 

As Barbadians unite

To celebrate our Independence,

The DLP’s absence is conspicuous

Displaying childish impudence.

 

One cannot fight a battle

By not turning up for the fray,

DLP have thrown out the baby too

On this our Independence Day.

 

Republic’s birth is November 30

Just like Independence Day

And no political protest or agitation

Can wash this fact away.

 

To absent oneself from one

Is to absent oneself from the other

And that is to throw out the baby

With the proverbial bathwater.

 

As both BLP and DLP partisans

Bask in this National celebration

The DLP leadership is doing harm

To Barrow’s representation.

 

Barrow must be represented

For Father of Independence is he

And what better way to show this

Than the presence of the DLP!

 

 

Note the Independence colours!

The colours of the DLP,

No distinction in our celebration

As also worn by the BLP.

 

The baby and the bathwater

Unfortunately, will become one

When the bathtub has been emptied

And water and baby are gone.

 

Don’t throw them both out, DLP,

As you vehemently protest,

Accept them both as equally important

And in unity let’s progress.

 

And if it should ever be

Independence is being displaced,

I am sure the people of Barbados

Will frown at such a disgrace.

 

 

57 years of Independence

And as a Republic only two,

A considerable difference for sure

Would be everybody’s view.

Stewart Russell © November 30, 2023

I’m Asking You

 

 

 

Will we be minority ruled

In more ways than one?

Will democracy be upstaged

Then completely gone?

 

What about voting rights

Because we refuse to vote

With frustration building up

As well as no hope.

 

Very low voter turnout

Least post-Independence,

The electorate no doubt fed-up

With political decadence.

 

Promises undelivered

With excuses of all kinds

And politicians’ trick or treat

Messing with our minds.

 

No parliamentary opposition

For two elections now

And the hope that the DLP

Could win seats somehow.

 

 

Democracy under threat

And elections a long way off

And the Government teeing off

Like they do in golf.

 

What’s good for them

Is hardship for the poor

Whose living standards plummet

More and more.

 

 

Come 2027

When the next poll is due,

Will the electorate turn out?

That’s a question for you.

 

Fewer are participating

In Barbados’ General elections

Producing a minority vote

And much disaffection.

 

Add to all this

A certain militant group

That’s climbing higher and higher

Marshalling its troupes.

 

Finding favour with many

Especially the politicians

Not to mention church leaders

And important persons.

 

 

 

With such drive and support

I ask you again,

Will the majority be displaced

By this minority strain?

 

Some dare not to oppose

That which is wrong

For fear the chances of winning

Would become less strong.

 

The opposition is silent

When they should speak up-

Trying to gain favour with voters

And hopefully some luck.

 

To form the Government

Or win parliamentary seats,

To stop the Barbados Labour Party

From having a 30-nil three-peat.

 

 

 

Will we be minority ruled

Come the next election

With none to oppose

A certain groups’ elevation?

 

I am asking you

And I am asking me too

For we are all in this together:

Both me and you.

 

Stewart Russell © October 30, 2023

 

Royal Sons and Daughters

 

 

No, it’s not an error

That this title bears

But in fact, the Gospel Truth,

And what the Bible says.

 

An immediate designation

To all of the born-again

That march forth unashamedly

Bearing Jesus’ name.

 

Royal sons and daughters

Having received the Christ

Unlike his own that he came to

That reveled in their vice.

 

In the Gospel of Matthew

Chapters 23 and 24,

Jesus detailed their judgment

In trials to come and woes.

 

“This generation” he said,

And also “some standing here,”

They would see these things

And not our modern day.

 

 

 

Royal sons and daughters

Are not exclusively the Jews

But all born-again believers

Who the Saviour, choose.

 

Not to be confused of course,

With loyal sons and daughters,

This also is very important

But a different matter.

 

How wonderful it would be

As Independence draws near

That we be both royal and loyal

And in both aspects share!

 

A child of the King of kings

And of the New Jerusalem,

As well as “sons and daughters all”

Being good Barbados citizens.

 

Reliant on God our Father

Yes, a child of royalty

Fulfilling our purpose to country

In pride and industry.

 

Under the Sovereign God

And to our sovereign state

Of course, first royalty then loyalty,

Getting priorities straight.

 

And when it comes to sides,

Let us be on God’s side

And as our leaders emulate Moses

We are bound to thrive.

 

 

Who is on the LORD'S side?

This must be the question!

Loyal may be the path we take

But royal is His kingdom.

 

As loyal sons and daughters

To Barbados our country fair

Yes, under God, the King of kings

Who our burdens share.

 

Without Him we are nothing

Neither royal nor loyal,

And to Him we owe everything

For He is ever faithful.

 

Stewart Russell © November 26, 2023

 

Two Conflicting Terms

 

The English Language is fraught

With conflicting terms

And there are two in particular

That in my mind burn.

 

Not in the sense

I did not notice them before

But rather the fact

They are being used more.

 

Let me give a few examples

Regarding some conflicting terms,

That the context is critical

We should also learn.

 

Grade is to level but also an incline

Show or hide is screen based on time,

Fix is to restore but also to castrate

Like a house or deny a dog a mate.

 

Clip may mean fasten or detach

Bolt is secure or a horse hard to catch,

Dusting is to add tiny particles to solve a crime

Or remove particles so an item may shine.

 

These are six examples

According to my count

And outside of a contextual analysis,

Confusion will amount.

 

And now to the two

That are rife these days,

They are sanction and sellout

And both are about trade.

 

Let’s start with sanction

But before you sanction me,

I’d rather have your approval

Than your animosity.

 

 

 

Thus, sanction can be positive

Or it can be negative too,

It may be a form of approval

Or of a punitive view.

 

NIFCA sanctioned an item

That was distasteful in their view

And at the same time gave sanction

To the LGBTQ.

 

This minority grouping

Punches far above its weight

And any criticism of it whatsoever

Is seen as one of hate.

 

You can say whatever you like

About my lifestyle and me

But if you risk it with this minority

You are sanctioned invariably.

 

Freedom of expression

Is being taken from some

But for others right here in Barbados

There’s no limit to their run.

 

Sanction is to give them approval

While for others it is not,

Permission is cruelly withdrawn

And sanction is their lot.

 

Sanction has trickled down

From big country to small:

Local, regional and international

But this is not all.

 

It is a controlling agent

Used to subjugate subordinates

Whether real or perceived

But sanctioned at any rate.

 

This brings us to the next term

Which by trade is also connected,

The positive we will definitely take

But the negative will be rejected.

 

 

With the threat of sanctions

Sellout may be the course taken,

It is what Judas Iscariot did

And then bypassed being forgiven.

 

He went out, the Bible says,

And hang himself,

Similar to what sellout juxtaposes

Regarding economic health.

 

Signing on to an agreement

That has not been properly thought out

Is nothing short, in my opinion,

Than a national sellout.

 

 

Even if it is a trade agreement

But it will cost you your soul,

It’s better to look again before leaping

And losing control.

 

A sellout of this nature

Constitutes a negative sellout

And the lure that is used to attract

Must be never in doubt.

 

 

Sellout can be positive

And this kind should be the goal,

For of course, it is not the kind

That will cost your soul.

 

I see people on the highway

Plying their trade,

Especially in these hard times

Sellout is the way…

 

To feed their families

And to educate them too,

Wouldn’t you want that sellout?

Tell me, won’t you?

 

The cane farmer and his canes

And the farmer and his crops-

Wouldn’t it be good if we buy local

So sellout can be their lot?

 

This is a far better sellout

Than the sellout of country

That is likely to happen to Barbados

If we don’t act speedily.

 

Stewart Russell © November 22, 2023

For Your Information

 

 

The title of this poem

Is the reason for this poem

Bearing in mind that these days

We have a big problem.

 

For your information

Is simply to inform you

So that when you hear otherwise

You’ll know what to do.

 

 

For your information

Is for the uninformed

That spread misinformation

Like it is the norm.

 

Misinformation is error

Meaning it is inaccurate,

But to my way of thinking

It is not deliberate.

 

It is info taken for granted

And though not every time

Fact checking is a good thing

To keep in one’s mind.

 

Do not attempt to inform

Before checking your facts,

Misinformation is a wild fire

That leaves ugly tracks.

 

Do not plead ignorance

After the fact,

Note, words once made public,

Cannot be taken back.

 

Apologies do very little

At controlling hurt and pain

Even when we sincerely promise

Never to do it again.

 

 

But worse is disinformation

And this is agenda oriented,

Disinformation is not accidental

But perpetrated.

 

It is a deliberate attempt

To misinform

And I say, for your information,

It’s becoming the norm.

 

A synonym for disinformation

Must be propaganda

Seeing as I have stated before,

It comes with an agenda.

 

 

 

Whenever there is news

Information will be present,

Misinformation will be unfortunate

But disinformation, an intent.

 

Neither is desirable

So, make sure you get the facts,

I repeat for your information,

You can take neither back.

 

Stewart Russell © November 20, 2023

 

The Conkie Issue

 

 

I couldn’t make a conkie

Even to save my life

But I am a conkie connoisseur,

You could ask my wife.

 

I know a good conkie

Even before I taste it

And this, I can assure you,

Is out of habit.

 

Take the smell first of all

Followed by the shine

And all I can think of saying is,

All is mine.

 

Taste and texture

One must not ignore,

A conkie with these attributes

Simply says more.

 

I have had two recently

And they were bombs,

In my connoisseur disposition

I ate with aplomb.

 

 

Regarding raisins

There were very few,

As a matter of fact, in one,

I counted only two.

 

I really prefer my conkies

To be raisin free

But I won’t fret about two,

That won’t kill me.

 

However, I know someone

This would kill instantly

But I won’t tell you his name

It’s between him and me.

 

And all his Facebook fans

That he often bamboozles

With his thoughtful anecdotes

And provoking puzzles.

 

 

Cronkies are outlawed;

The ‘r’ is for raisins

And only recently I found out

He said it’s a sin.

 

To put raisins in a conkie

Is to make it impure,

That is Corey’s philosophy

Need I say more?

 

Oops! His name slipped out,

What a travesty!

Please my friend, Corey,

Please forgive me.

 

I’ve already posted this,

I cannot take it out

And the fact that I just lied

Is without a doubt.

 

I will take back the lie

But the raisins will remain

And I must also tell you

So will your name.

 

I am definitely sure

You are not one of those people

That will call this malice

And sue me for libel.

 

 

Like you, my dear friend,

I prefer raisin-less conkies

But one or two or even three

Won’t matter much to me.

 

More than these

I would surely blow my top,

A raisin slice is not a conkie-

It certainly is not.

 

Stewart Russell © November 21, 2023

 

No Replacement Please

 

 

It is not good, I dare say,

To remove National landmarks

And what the authorities tried to do

Really hurt my heart.

 

Independence Day was to go

To be replaced by the Republic,

This landmark, until public uproar,

Was to be the edict.

 

I recall at some point

The promised of a referendum

But suddenly, a decision was taken

Without public consultation.

 

Well it did not go down well

Given the promise that was made

And the public with one voice

Shouted it was to fail.

 

The Government reneged

Via its public relations setup

And a certain minister apologized

For the unfortunate mix-up.

 

It shows, someone had said,

We are a Government that listen,

Then was certainly not the right time

But it could eventually happen.

 

 

To sneak it in the backdoor

Could be the considered plan,

After all, we have seen such before

When the door was unjammed.

 

If this is the present thought

I say, “No replacement please,”

Independence Day is not nomenclature

So, you'd better freeze.

 

It is far deeper in significance

Than any political party

That has grown too big for its britches

With its perceived superiority.

 

From Independence to Republic

Sounds like a complete erase,

Independence becoming a means to an end

Achieved in this BLP phase.

 

An eradication of an era

Indelible in our minds and hearts,

Independence Day to Republic Day

Sounds kind of BLP smart.

 

Will Independence Day finally go?

I sincerely hope not,

And so, I plead with this Government,

Please don’t change the locks.

 

 

Do not remove the shoulders

Upon which you now stand,

You will plummet from your lofty height

And fatally crash-land.

 

And no Tom-foolery either

Bringing Barbados National Day,

This is more than nomenclature-

Now way Jose!

No replacement or displacement

Of Independence Day,

Merge the two since the dates are alike,

If there is no other way.

 

Stewart Russell © November 17, 2023