It Tint Right

 

 

Do you see the ambiguity

In this poem’s title?

Take a little time and study it,

It might be vital.

 

Tint is very topical

In Barbados these days

And is currently being connected

To crime in some ways.

 

Especially dark tint

Re vehicles involved

Making it extraordinaryly difficult

For crimes to be solved.

 

Placing police at risk

When they enact a pull-over

Since the cops can’t clearly see

The vehicle’s driver.

 

It tint right, says the AG

Or fair to the cops

And this heavy tint on a vehicle

Must be stopped.

 

 

We now have equipment

To test if it tint right

And whether it legally facilitates

Adequate light.

 

"It tint right"

Say those using the tint

Contrary to the Attorney General

Who sees a crime link.

 

"It tint right"

Bringing such a law,

That it is for some and not all

Tells me it is flawed.

 

There is no limit

For the high-up authority

But a whopping $500.00 fine

For the poor and lowly.

 

Suggesting to me

Crime is linked to the poor

And the high-up and better off

Do crime no more.

 

 

However dark their tint,

"It tint right"

But for poor people to do similar

"It tint right".

 

Inflection and intonation

Are not in print

But "it tint right" spoken correctly

Will be distinct.

 

If we say, it tint right;

We know what we mean

But if we tell you de car tint right,

The job is clean.

 

Whose "tint right", I ask,

Will win the day?

Looks like the Attorney General

Will have his way.

 

"It tint right"

Meaning the job is great

Versus "it tint right" as in unfair

Is poor people's fate. 

 

 

Add another $10.00

Every day the tint is on,

This will work the police harder

From dawn till dawn.

 

Stewart Russell © June 10, 2025

 

After the Rush

After the Christmas rush the sanity will return

And the realization that much money was burned,

God’s glorious salvation they continued to spurn,

Another Christmas gone but the lessons still not learned

Obsessed with the need to fix up the house,

A temporary commitment to children and spouse

And now all these things do not seem that important

Since Christmas has passed the inside feels vacant.

Tell me, what was that I just did there?

All of this stuff bought and I am still feeling bare,

Seems so irrelevant since Christmas day has gone

The New Year beckons and with it the coming storm.

Weaker for the effort that was expended for one day,

Short-lived satisfaction not worth what was paid,

Missing the true meaning of the Christmas season,

Once again not recognizing that Christ is the reason.

Wondering how I will make January’s payment

On the electrical appliances and the China cabinet,

The food that was bought and gormandized up in a flash

Not certain which went the faster, the food or the cash.

And all of this hullaballoo for just a two day bash

On a slippery precipice and behaviour that was rash,

After all the rushing around there is now nothing inside,

All of the money gone and lasting happiness denied.

Instead, a peculiar feeling and a growing melancholy,

Fixed up house now empty after the departed company,

The lights on the tree unable to brighten my mood

And acute indigestion from ingesting too much food.

 

The thing that is puzzling, yes very puzzling to me

Is every year I keep falling for this spending spree,

Chronic addition to this rush to rid me of money

Somewhat like a competition; don’t laugh it’s not funny.

Anyway I’ll still look around and try to find some cash,

There might be just enough for the Old Year’s bash,

I know in the New Year there’ll be a great backlash

But I’ll go right to where I have the mortgage money stashed.

So it’s time to get involved in one final rush,

I know right after this I will feel like I’m crushed

But I aim to be happy regardless of what it costs

Even if this happiness is temporary and after that all is lost.

Stewart Russell © 2015