Trouble a Brewing

 

 

“Trouble don’t set up like rain”

But sometimes it does

And you don’t have to listen hard

To hear the growing buzz.

 

The buzz in the community

And in the market square,

The buzz right here and beyond

Says it’s drawing near.

 

Can’t you hear the buzz

Or have you turned deaf ear

To all that has been happening

Hoping it won’t appear?

 

 

It may be a single incident

That brings a domino effect

Like in the COVID-19 pandemic

That many still suspect.

 

It may be a string of events

Related and unrelated

Like the criminal activity occurring

And going on unabated.

 

Something huge is imminent

In our little country

And storm clouds are everywhere

If we’re not too blind to see.

 

 

Barbados land of ostriches,

Of sunshine, sea and sand,

Immersed in revelry and jump-up

Where fickleness is grand.

 

To ignore is to make light,

To remain silent, a protest,

And if I do not see it, it is not there,

Is Bajan at its best.

 

 

Oh, we are standing tall

With heads buried in sand

And seemingly lack what it takes

To resuscitate our land.

 

We have moved far away

From what we once held dear

When we’d look to God for help

With reverential fear.

 

Now it is very different

As we do it our own way,

With God left out of the equation

We are bound to stray.

 

 

Trouble is a brewing

Storm clouds everywhere!

Is it nothing to you, my friend?

Doesn’t anyone care?

 

What’s all this deflecting

Trying to confuse me

Rather than deal with the problem

Behind the criminality?

 

How many must die

To fill greedy man pockets?

How many more square pegs

In round hole sockets?

 

Why empower students

And impoverish their teachers

When such is getting us into trouble

Deeper and deeper?

 

 

Are our leaders blind?

Can they not really see

That great trouble is a brewing

For our country?

 

The way around it

Is to return to God

But our leaders call this simplistic

And thus, continue to fall.

 

God offers a parachute

But they prefer a parasol

And with this I must reiterate,

We continue to free fall.

 

Stewart Russell © June 17, 2025

 

Difficult to Swallow

 

 

Occasionally I have a dream,

I find particularly strange,

I am trying to swallow but can’t

Though I strain.

 

My mouth appears full

For whatever reason

And though you may laugh,

This isn’t fun.

 

What is even stranger

Is that I do not think to spit,

This should give some ease

But I do think of it.

 

Fortunately, I would wake

Before I choke,

May I remind you, my friend,

This isn’t a joke.

 

It is like whatever it is

Is just lodged in your throat,

Sometimes it happens in real life

And we should take note.

 

There is the physical form

Similar to my dream

Only that in real life experience

It’s a terrifying scene.

 

 

Help is urgently required

To stop that one from choking

And again, I remind you,

I am not joking.

 

Then there is an argument

That just doesn’t wash

In which the opposer is adamant

That it should be squashed.

 

It is difficult to swallow

It just does not make sense

But when explained to the proposer,

He or she takes offence.

 

I will give you an example

Straight from the Bible

In which words mean the opposite

According to some people.

 

Take the book of Revelation

Where certain words are used

Then examine the interpretation

Which some people choose.

 

Must shortly come to pass

For some means 2000 years hence,

I do not mean to be ridiculous

Do not take offence.

 

For the time is at hand

Means a very long time off,

If I say it has already happened

I know some will scoff.

 

Then there is ‘quickly’

Found seven times in this book,

For your own satisfaction

Go and take a look.

 

 

Some interpret quickly

As how fast it will happen

But the context of each passage

Says when it will be done.

 

Which must shortly be done

Cannot mean how fast,

To make this phrase say such

Is a phenomenal task.

 

It is imminent

Even at the door!

Not two thousand year later

But two thousand before!

 

It is difficult to swallow

It was for me too

But I let the Word speak for itself,

You should do so too.

 

Don’t be too quick to interpret

Before noting what the Bible says,

Must shortly come to pass

Can’t be 2000 years.

 

Stewart Russell © September 10, 2023