Insane

 

 

Five senses there were

Six, there are now,

Somewhere along the line

To this, the rest bowed.

 

Seeing is believing

That’s what I’ve been told,

Hearing brings doubt

Especially, if you are old.

 

Taste is acquired

I have proven that,

Smell doesn’t discriminate

That’s a proven fact.

 

Touching is exciting

But can be dangerous too,

If you are out of touch

Your senses are skewed.

 

It means you’re not seeing

Or hearing well,

Taste and smell are off

It’s not difficult to tell.

 

Extra-sensory perception

Or, E.S.P. for short

Doesn’t trust the others,

It’s an intuition of sorts.

 

It goes beyond the five

It’s a sixth sense we say,

And it’s increasingly becoming

The acceptable way.

 

 

It incorporates the others

Then throws them out,

Having little regard for facts

And feeds on doubt.

 

Its best practitioners

Were mainly women

But men are getting there too,

That’s the huge problem.

 

Extra-sensory perception

Once a woman’s condition

Is now, I’m afraid,

A man’s predilection.

 

It doesn’t make sense

But who really cares?

It is less stressful you see

When sorting our affairs.

 

It is off the grid

And this we know

But it seems to be working,

It is E.S.P. on show.

 

 

How else can you explain

A world that is gone mad?

A world that has lost its senses

And this is truly sad.

 

Stewart Russell © May 2020

 

The Word

 

 

“A man is as good as his word”,

You know the popular saying

By people who try to convince others

Of sticking to their word and never denying.

 

“My word is my face,” another ventures

“I have always been true to it,

In all my dealings and transactions

I have always made this my habit.”

 

Keeping one’s word is important,

We all know this so very well

But often when it comes to crunch time

Where to find us, no one can tell.

 

Another could also advance

Talk is so very cheap,

It costs us nothing to spread a word

But an awful lot to keep.

 

And so the world continues to be fooled

By many of the great talkers,

They pontificate and they enunciate

But they have been very poor walkers.

 

 

Even in their written contracts

Marked with their signatures and ours,

They ignore their written word

And render it as though without power.

 

“Isn’t that my signature there?

And isn’t that your signature too?”

“Yes, clearly so my friend,” he says,

But your interpretation is not my view.”

 

And so we have made light of the word

Even by some who will dare tell you

“Do what I say and not what I do,”

When maneuvering between the two.

 

Let it be known to all and sundry

That practice should accompany talk,

For word is just a lot of hot air

If it is not in accordance to one’s walk.

 

This point is as good as any other

To turn our eyes upon Jesus;

What it does mean to look in his face

And to turn from our worldly lust.

 

It means more than just a prayer

Or a calling out to him when in our need,

For whatever he says to us to do

We should be inclined to perform in deed.

 

 

It is far, far more important

What he speaks to me, or you,

Than all the combined prayer sessions

That you and I can do.

 

It took me long to understand

The importance of listening to him

For I was obsess with my own talk

Even though my light was dim.

 

Essential to achieving our goal

When we go to him in prayer

Is to be rooted in his word;

This really is the fundamental layer.

 

For faith comes by hearing

And by heeding God’s Holy Word,

And by taking it beyond just prayer,

It will strengthen and undergird.

 

As Psalm 138 verse 2 declares

God’s word is magnified above His name

It is forever settled in heaven

Psalm 119 verse 89 articulates that claim.  

 

Stewart Russell © November 2015

 

All Means None

 

 

I have a strong feeling

This baffles you

But never you mind

It baffled me too.

 

Until I got to thinking

Like you are now

And wonder if there was a way

I could really see how.

 

Aren’t they opposites?

I am sure they are

And yet mean the same?

Not even by far.

 

If I say I have a title

And none can take it

That means all-

I am sure that would fit.

 

It means all can try

But none will succeed,

None can take it

Now do you believe?

 

If all can mean none

Then none can mean all

So, think about this one

And give me a call.

 

Calls received: none

Didn’t work with this,

Let’s look at another

To see what I missed.

 

All means none

That worked quite well

But trying the reverse

It seems I fell.

 

 

Consider this one

That’s in the next verse,

I hope I have it now

No time to rehearse.

 

All of them remained:

That means none left,

There you have it

I am out of this mess.

 

He gave away all

That means he has none,

None means all

I hope you had fun.

 

Don’t try it with me

If you owe me, though,

On the day you promised

I expect you to show.

 

And it’s not all or none

Bring some and come,

If you come empty handed

When you see me, run!

 

I am feeling doubtful

About this “all means none”

But verse thirteen was odd

So, on fourteen I am done.

 

Stewart Russell © May 2020

 

 

The Switch

 

 

Such an interesting word

And so intriguing to me,

In the next few verses of this poem

The reason you will see.

 

Change over or exchange

Interchange, trade or swop,

Abandon or leave for another

Or just simply channel-hop.

 

Flog as with a rod:

Could be either verb or noun,

Once thought to make children learn,

Today it’s causing a frown.

 

The completion of a circuit

As of the electrical type,

Or the outcome of a local election

As in a thirty-love hype.

 

So much for the meanings

Now on to the purpose

Meaning that of a topical matter

That concerns all of us.

 

It’s about education reform

And its affiliation to the switch:

Two meanings come to mind,

Simply follow my pitch.

 

Back in the twentieth century

And into the twenty-first,

The rod which motivated learning

Some thought to be a curse.

 

The ears of a child

Were thought to be in his back,

Beat the child, one thought,

And learning would be a fact.

 

So, beat them for schoolwork

And for bad behaviour too,

Weal up their backs

And buttocks black and blue.

 

 

 

Thus, the ancient switch,

Used in the old education approach

Employed with bright children

As well as the ones that groped.

 

Education reform demands

That we locate the other switch:

The switch that’s in every child

Especially the ones we ditch.

 

The aha or the Eureka

Meaning Oh yes! Now I see it,

So that for all of our children

Learning becomes a habit.

 

Not the negative learning

Like falling through the cracks

But of positive reinforcement

Unlike the beating of one’s back.

 

 

 

Locating the God-given switch

That turns on to their talent

And gives meaning to schooling

That provides meaningful balance.

 

That psychological switch

That shows how he or she learns

Rather than leaving them behind

Like garbage to be burned.

 

Being true to the tenets

That buttress education endeavor:

Every child at his own rate

As learning changes behavior.

 

The switch that says I am ready

To learn in the way that I can,

I am different from the other pupils

Requiring a different plan.

 

Not a totally different plan

But with modification of sorts,

I too yearn to be accommodated-

Please do not abort!

 

 

Not the switch that flails the air

But the one that turns me on,

Find it and get me going, please

Before all opportunity is gone.

 

Stewart Russell © August 30, 2022

 

Just Two Words

 

 

Let me start adrift

And then I’ll come home

To the crux of the matter

Or, the meat on the bone.

 

Remember the song

“Those Three Little Words”

Which to your spouse

Was like having the world?

 

How they settled disputes

Before they grew

Yes, Those Three Little Words

I Love You?

 

But given today’s recession

There is a cut back

It’s two words now

With a greater impact.

 

Gentlemen, if you want your marriage to work

Here is what you do,

“Yes Dear” is now the magic words

Instead of “I Love You”.

 

When she calls out to you

It is, Yes Dear!

And if she doesn’t agree with your view

It is, Yes Dear!

 

If something is to be done right away

It is, Yes Dear!

And if she wants you to stay home on a work day

It is, Yes Dear!

 

And if she doesn’t like the friends you are keeping

It is, Yes Dear!

And if she wants you to sleep when she is sleeping

It is, Yes Dear!

 

And if she puts a curfew on you

It is, Yes Dear!

And if for each event her dress must be new

It is, Yes Dear!

 

And if she pesters you all through the day

It is, Yes Dear!

And if she wants you around but not in her way

It is, Yes Dear!

 

And if you know she is wrong but she thinks she is right

It is, Yes Dear!

And you’d rather be in the dark but she wants the light

It is, Yes Dear!

 

And she wants you do something you’d rather not do

It is, Yes Dear!

And you want to buy a lot but she says a few

It is, Yes Dear!

 

You want to give her half of the money but she wants all

It is, Yes Dear!

And you want to make a call and she says don’t call

It is, Yes Dear!

 

And she wants you to change from your Yes Dear reply

It is, Yes Dear!

But she doesn’t want you to ask her the reason why

It is, Yes Dear!

 

 

And the moment you stop she changes her mind

It is, Yes Dear!

And she wants you to say curtains instead of blinds

It is, Yes Dear!

 

And she feels you are unfaithful but you know you are not

It is, Yes Dear!

And she makes you promise you will immediately stop

It is, Yes Dear!

 

And she wants to check to make sure you comply

It is, Yes Dear!

And whatever she wants you must agree to buy

It is, Yes Dear!

 

And you want to be a man but she wants a yard boy

It is, Yes Dear!

And she wants you to be quiet and don’t even look annoyed

It is, Yes Dear!

 

And when all you have done she is still not satisfied

It is, Yes Dear!

And she wants you out of her sight so go and hide

It is, Yes Dear!

 

And after that she accuses you for not being around

It is, Yes Dear!

And wants you to agree you are the world’s biggest clown

It is, Yes Dear!

 

And she somehow realizes she is wrong and you are right

It is, Yes Dear!

But you must accept being wrong so she can be right

It is, Yes Dear!

 

 

So the two of you can live happily ever after

It is, Yes Dear!

And have a great marriage with lots of children and laughter

It is, Yes Dear!

 

And occasionally say I love you, like three times a day

It is, Yes Dear!

And sing along with her “We did it your way”

It is, Yes Dear!

 

Stewart Russell © October 2019

 

When Is a Position just a Position?

 

When is a position just a position

Especially regarding the Word?

“That’s my position regarding this matter,”

I’m sure you’ve often heard.

 

This is the Wesleyan position

Some would pontificate

And highlighting their denomination

They would go on to elaborate.

 

Or, they quote a renowned source

And with that one, take a stand

In an attempt to convince the opposition

To join the winning band.

 

Often there are so many positions,

Each one sounding like the truth

That we constantly change our position

After reviewing another’s proof. 

 

 

Even as I write this poem

I am confronting this dilemma:

Some, I believe are sincere and genuine

And some with a hidden agenda.

 

I must confess to you, my reader,

I’ve been convinced to change

Somethings that I taught and preached

And now I think them strange.

 

Not strange in that I believed them

Or doubt my teachers’ sincerity

But having diligently searched the Word

I can see little veracity.

 

Some positions have been held

For an inordinately long time

Such that even when the error is shown

Some will not change their mind.

 

Notice I said “will not”

Though you may argue “cannot”

For some see their denomination first

And consider such their lot.

 

 

Primarily it’s men’s traditions

And secondarily, God’s Word

Thus, some hold very strongly to position

Even when position is absurd.

 

It is not easy after many years

To research with an open mind

If firsthand knowledge seems convincing

And has stood the test of time.

 

Notice I said “the test of time”

And not the Bible’s approbation

For while we cannot show it in the Word

Time is our abiding consolation.

 

Sometimes we are gravely afraid

That the truth will find us out

So that the denomination is always correct

Even when we are in doubt.

 

 

Like the proverbial north star

Its position holds for life

And studying the Word in light of its stance

Is better than cognitive strife.

 

When is a position just a position

Especially regarding the Word?

It invariably always is, of course, unless,

It is stated in God’s Word.

 

As you and I know so very well

Positions change over time

And sometimes do so just as frequently

As people change their mind.

 

Stewart Russell © August 23, 2024

 

Where’s the Alternative?

 

 

Is there an alternative

To the present Government?

Please pardon my ignorance

For if so, I repent.

 

I am hearing the call

For an imminent change

As though elections were tomorrow

Or could be so arranged.

 

I’m definitely not happy

With the BLP’s stewardship

But the DLP is surely not ready,

Not the slightest bit.

 

The best we can hope for

Is that they win some seats

For only the insane would want

Another 30-nil defeat.

 

Such unanimous mandates

Is whole sale madness

And I want all Barbadians to hear:

No more and no less.

 

 

 

First time we were angry

With the D's performance

But the B's did nothing spectacular

In their own defense.

 

The blunders were many

Followed up by arrogance

And there was absolutely no trace

Of genuine repentance.

 

Only a God-given right

To do as they all like

And considered any repercussions

To be ignorant and trite.

 

But where’s the alternative

I must reiterate

Though ever since the last election

We are in a worse state.

 

The PM saw it necessary

To call a knee-jerk election

In the midst of the COVID pandemic

Amidst all objection.

 

Three and a half years in

To correct a ten-year mess!

In essence their words, not mine,

But we let it rest.

 

 

 

And rewarded her again

With another 30-nil mandate

Demonstrating, lessons not learned,

Do not alter one’s state.

 

And so, we remain stuck

Like the proverbial top-in-mud

Repeatedly ineffectively regurgitating

Like a cow chewing its cud.

 

The only difference being,

This benefits the cow

But unless we’re of that bovine species

It benefits us nohow.

 

I heard a former PM

Regarding the DLP’s plight

And I must assuredly confess

That he was right.

 

 

They must assert themselves

And return to their roots,

Eight “P” principles he gave them

Concerning the DLP’s truth.

 

Starting with power

He ended with projection

And he wrapped them neatly up

In the party’s self-assertion.

 

The party has done well,

It can rise from the dust

But must soar above egotistical strife

And its attendant lust.

 

Let me however end this

Exactly as I started out

And I dare say that I am doing this

For those still in doubt.

 

 

Is there an alternative

To the present Government?

Please pardon my ignorance

For if so, I repent.

 

Stewart Russell © August 24, 2024