It’s So Hot!

 

 

Boy, ent it hot nuh?

Dese days hot fuh so!

It is like de sun in de sky

                           Decide to put on a show.         

 

Even in de shade it hot,

I mean, real hot!

Yuh have to take your time

Or yuh would drop.

 

Dis is not de same sun

That I grow up with,

At no time was it this hot

And being such a risk.

 

It could take your life,

I mean this heat-

I just feel for those people

Out there on the street.

 

Boy, ent it hot nuh?

Even indoors,

I tell you all who disagree

It is hotter than before.

 

I used to play cricket,

Tennis and football too

All day on the hot tar road

And not a shoe.

 

Yuh cahn risk dat today-

Not with this sun,

At my age if you was to try dat

Yuh know yuh done.

 

 

Sunstroke would get you

Follow by Belmont or Two Sons,

I tell you, mess with this heat

And for sure yuh done!

 

They telling me

That this is global warming

And that the ice cap is melting

And sea levels rising.

 

I don’t know if they wrong

I don’t know if they right,

I just know dat these days real hot

And they giving me gripe.

 

I does dread this time of year

With all of this heat

And as for people that work in it,

That can’t be sweet.

 

Here is a little thing

That I does do,

I does drink hot beverages

And so should you.

 

 

 

 

Hot cools you down,

I know this sounds foolish

But cold makes you feel hotter,

Is that your wish?

 

Actually, my friend,

Science is involved here:

Heat moves from hot to cold-

It’s the same with air.

 

You’ll drink cold forevermore

In your effort to cool down

And you will simply develop a belly

Just like a clown.

 

Drink hot on the other hand

And you will cool down

And better survive this heat

And this scorching sun.

 

 

 

Man, it is so hot

That I must repeat,

Uh hot from muh head

Right down to muh feet!

 

Stewart Russell © June 9, 2023

 

Lincoln Harris My Friend

 

 

Saved by grace, saved by grace,

Lincoln Harris was saved by grace,

Thus, he has gone to be with his Saviour

Having completed his earthly race.

 

Lincoln, Stephen and Beverley,

What’s common about these three?

They are friends of mine only recently deceased

And have had a huge influence on me.

 

  

Another trio comes to my mind

That includes Lincoln Harris again:

Lincoln, Mark and Daniel:

In electronics they made their name.

 

It is here I single out Lincoln

It is here Lincoln became my friend

And it is only after he migrated to Cayman

That our constant meeting would end.

 

 

In the vicinity where I taught

I frequented two repair shops:

One was Olliver Webster’s motor mechanics

And Lincoln et al operated at this spot.

 

They all became my friends

And catered to all my repair needs

But Lincoln and Olliver went beyond

And both became friends indeed.

 

There were many and long conversations

From politics to sports and of life,

And at those times we disagreed

It was always without strife.

 

Lincoln’s main area was football

And about this game he knew a lot,

He had even played for a local team

Which was not far from the top.

 

How many goals he scored I do not know

Or even if he scored at all,

What I do know is he gave it his best

And seldom below this would he fall.

 

Lincoln was committed to what he did

He did so by lip and walk

And I can categorically state,

His walk had matched his talk.

 

He was by no means a hypocrite

But he was who he appeared to be,

This to my mind was Lincoln’s hallmark

And it was never difficult to see.

 

 

One of the things that thrilled me

Was when he became a “born-again”,

Of course, we know that when Jesus comes in

There is an obvious change.

 

Such was the case with Lincoln

From all the reports I had received,

It appears he grew by leaps and bounds

And these reports I believe.

 

He even reached out more to people

And no doubt especially to the young,

And he did this with the backing of church

And this helped to make him strong.

 

I am still very grieved at his passing

As I am for my other two friends

But I am assured by our blessed Saviour

That death is not the end.

 

This for me is a great consolation,

It brings comfort to my soul

To know that my friend, Lincoln Harris,

Is forever within Christ’s fold.

 

For having said yes to the Saviour

He is now and forever secure

And I believe we have that assurance

That we will meet on the golden shore.

 

Thanks to the blessed Trinity

For having given to us Lincoln

And praise and glory to Almighty God

For our eventual heavenly welcome!

 

I thank God for the wife He gave him

She too has become my friend,

I convey to her and the family deepest sympathy

From my wife and family at this end.

 

Stewart Russell © January 22, 2022

 

Brazil Out of the World Cup

Yesterday I felt so numb

I thought Brazil would have won

But I was struck dumb

When Belgium took them down.

Goal Number 1 went to Belgium

But Brazil took the credit

Into the Brazil goal it went

But a Brazil player had headed it.

It was against the run of play

Brazil was in command

But just an unfortunate own goal

And that upset Brazil’s plan.

Brazil began to storm back

But again against the run of play

A Belgium player took a long shot

It just wasn’t Brazil’s day.

Two down within the first half

I was frozen like a rock

Two goals in under 30 minutes

For me that was a shock.

Brazil was out of the World Cup

I could not believe my eyes

I told myself I must be dreaming

But it was Brazil’s demise.

I am back to myself now

But I will always back Brazil,

Even though they flattered to deceive

I am in their corner still.

One goal conceded up to that point

And were never once behind

But they couldn’t find their way back

When it happened this first time.

Belgium appeared much stronger

Their players were certainly bigger,

They muscled Brazil out of the cup

It isn’t funny; don’t snigger.

  

I hope the cup goes to a first timer

To a team that never won it before

A Belgium and Croatia final

Would definitely settle that score.

So Belgium to beat France

That is my hope

And Croatia to beat England

I trust Croatia can cope.

A Belgium and Croatia final

With Croatia edging Belgium out

Would make up for Brazil’s loss

And still give me a reason to shout.

Stewart Russell © July 2018

Football Enthralling Football

   

Football, football, O what gall!

Twenty-two players kick the life out of a ball

Ten up and down sweating profusely

One between the bars the team’s security.

These are bars that have no drinks

But their goalkeepers are critical links

They keep goal instead of minding bars

More often than not they are forgotten stars.

     

Compared to other games the ball is huge

It is kicked by the players any way they choose

Sometimes with the instep or the side of the boot

At times they fake the goalie before they shoot.

    

But let me start at the very beginning

Kick-off is when neither team is winning

Blow-off signals that the time has expired

The twenty-two players to the pavilion retire.

Two half sessions of forty-five minutes each

A referee and linesmen looking for any breach

Keep the players in check playing fair and square

Adhering to the rules of which they are aware.

The winning margin is decided by goals

The ball must pass the goalie within the poles

Some games are decided by penalty kicks

The shooter then tries a number of tricks.

     

The ball is placed on the penalty spot

As the goalie awaits the inevitable shot

Up runs the shooter and he fires away

The goalie dives trying to save the day.

Twelve players try to put the ball in the net

Six from each side for each there’s a bet

“Uh bet he score now, uh bet he does not”

“He better had cause he is the best we’ve got.”

After each shooter has had his one chance

One team’s reputation is further enhanced

The team with the most goals wins the game

Their points go up while the other’s remain.

  

Like cricket, football has its funny streak

That’s a banana kick commentators speak

Oh he tried the bicycle there some may say

Or the scissors may be done in another play.

In the former the ball is kicked over his head

In the latter he is parallel to the ground instead

Sometimes you hear he has volleyed the ball

At other times “trap it!” might be the call.

The referee blows the whistle to start the match

One of the teams kicks off from a central patch

Passing from one player to another they send

Trying to get the ball in at the other end.

The other team tries its hardest to intersect

Not giving any quarter until the ball they get

Suddenly the direction of the ball is changed

As the next team tries to get in shooting range.

The player shoots the ball but the goal is blocked

The goalie holds it in like an impregnable lock

“Lucky this time” some spectator calls out

“Next time not so lucky then our turn to shout.”

They dribble and pass; they block and trap

Another great save and a pat on the back

They slow the ball down then up their speed

As the game brings more and more intrigue.

The spectators argue who will win or lose

As one expects it’s their team they choose

But football can be a funny game, you know

And at the end some will say, “I told you so.”

Half time a team might lead two goals to none

And feel,  “No need to worry, we have it won.”

But quick as a flash the next team scores three

And the losers can’t believe what they now see.

The score line will tell it straight and plain

Two at half time is not the end of the game

Another half must follow and of equal length

Best to use the time to build back your strength.

It is never an easy matter to lose like that

It leaves the losing side feeling rather flat

But it was their fault; there are to blame

Feeling that half time was the end of the game.

Sometimes at the end the scores are the same

No team has won hence a draw is the claim

May be a scoreless draw, may be plenty of goals

When goalies have a hard time between the poles.

There are many tournaments local and overseas

Teams go overboard their best players to please

Some are valued at millions of dollars or pounds

And when they play thousands flock to the grounds.

In cricket the Caribbean had once ruled the roost

But in football they have never had such a boost

Nevertheless every one follows his favourite team

Brazil, Spain and Germany are among the cream.

Whether in a little village or at a stadium grand

Local, regional, especially the World Cup brand

Football, enthralling football is a fascinating sight

Bringing to its many fans much fun and delight.

Gifted with speech any football might exclaim

“You gain your satisfaction as a result of my pain

Your players you praise as the trophy you win

But not a thought for me, Football, isn’t that a sin?

Stewart Russell © 2013