Go Tell De Skipper

  

 

Send news to de Skipper

The DLP in disarray,

The party is nothing compared

To back in his day.

 

Tell him Sandy is dead

And David Thompson too,

Tell him Freundel is still around

With nothing to do.

 

Tell him Lashley jump ship

And Sinckler jump too

As well as some young democrats:

Not a few.

 

Tell him in three elections

They did not get a seat

And Prime Minister Mia Mottley

Did a three-peat.

 

 

 

Go tell de Skipper

De new BLP is BLP/DLP

So, there is no need in we republic

For an opposition party.

 

Go tell de Skipper

That things real brown

And that Barbadians seeing red

In country and in town.

 

Yes, go tell de Skipper

That de people blue vex

Cause a lot that was promised

Dem en get yet.

 

Promised legislation

To keep the MPs honest

Cannot get pass the Parliament;
O what a mess!

 

De promised Constitution

Lost out Queen’s Park

Cause de array of Commissioners

In the dark.

 

 

 

Go tell de Skipper

Bout hey like de Wild West

And the old folk real frightened

To leave their nest.

 

But O shoot, man,
Barrow en bury here!

His ash was scattered in the sea;

It blew everywhere.

 

A Caribbean man!

In life as well as in death

So, we have no choice in the matter

But to let him rest.

 

 

 

No turning in his grave,

His ash was scattered

And the party he helped establish,

Bruised and battered.

 

So don’t tell de Skipper

He is not hearing

And while these MPs are still alive,

They aren’t listening.

 

Go tell de Skipper

There’s nothing he can do

Cause Bim fuh de rich and famous;

Not for me and you.

 

Stewart Russell © February 28, 2026

 

Reflecting and Projecting

 

 

A reflective look

To that first Independence Day

Very early in the morning

Before black turned to grey.

 

Very muddy conditions

When our flag ascended

Flying proudly in the night air;

Colonialism then ended.

 

Me, just 13 years old,

But proud to be present

Though at that very early stage

Void of the full essence.

 

 

Essence of its reality,

Essence of its responsibility,

Essence of no longer a colony,

Essence of accountability.

 

Essence of growing pains

And setting goals,

Essence of success and failure

And relentless blows.

 

A very short honeymoon

And the fairy tale effect;

Our people our greatest resource

Regarding what to expect.

 

  

A thrilling moment it was;

All will be great!

My understanding of Independence

Though not here of late.

 

We’ve come a long way

O’er mountain and thro’ vale

And a signal moment of reflection

Reveals this trail.

 

Chronicled in our history

Etched in our minds,

From Errol Barrow to Mia Mottley

Across the annals of time.

 

 

 

And in between:

Tom Adams and Bree St John,

Sandiford and Arthur

All four now gone.

 

Thompson and Stuart

The former also gone

Being the second shortest stint

Before passing on.

 

Just two of seven

Remain with us today;
Stuart, having been ousted,

Mottley holds sway.

 

An impressive journey

Since our Independence

Though, not without ups and downs

And times of turbulence.

 

 

Presently a Republic

Approaching three years

But can we say like the Anthem,

No doubts or fears?

 

Me thinks not

For we have changed face

And things we once held dear

Have been replaced.

 

"The price for progress"

Some will no doubt remark

But the truth be told

We are in the dark.

 

Community is weakened

While the block thrives,

And almost every single day

Another youth dies.

 

 

 

Either by the gun

Or the cutlass or knife

One of our greatest National assets

Loses his life.

 

The church in absentia

Is praying without ceasing

But the reckless taking of life

Is still increasing.

 

The police constabulary

And the judiciary:

Both appear to be in the dark

Regarding this mystery.

 

 

Cases going back

For many a year

And recidivism on the increase

Adding to our fear.

 

Offenders offered bail

To reoffend again

And this being done repeatedly

Like summer rain.

 

And our Republic

Still awaiting a constitution

Almost three years in the making

Since its coronation.

 

 

I was not present

But I saw it on television:

The inauguration of our President

Dame Sandra Mason.

 

Rihanna was presented

For National Hero honours,

Barbados having received from her

Timely financial favours.

 

The eleventh recipient

Of this honour thus far

With Rihanna Drive also an honour

To this international star.

 

 

Weathering COVID-19

That horrible pandemic

That sucked our country’s blood

Leaving it anemic.

 

Yet navigating it

Better than most

While to several tourist liners

Being a merciful host.

 

Some stranded Trinis

Were given safe refuge here

When their own national authorities

Refused them there.

 

 

Such were the suspicions

Of relentless COVID-19

That held no regard for commoners

Or the Queen.

 

COVID-19 was a leveler

Of the rich and the poor

Many of whom lost that battle

And are seen no more.

 

 

So, as we approach

Our fifty-eighth birthday,

Let us give Almighty God thanks

For yet another year.

 

And as we map a course

For the Nation’s future

Let us be particularly mindful

To put God in the picture.

 

For righteousness

Still exalts a nation

And God is forever deserving

Of our adoration.

 

Stewart Russell © November 27, 2024