The Seven Days of Christmas

And so in the journey

On this bright and sunny day

We come to the last Sunday,

It’s the last Sunday of the year.

Christmas day has passed

Though we are still in the season

And we continue to celebrate Christ,

The foremost and primary reason.

Fifty-two Sundays in all

Like a wild fire they have sped,

From the first one till the last

Right before our eyes they fled.

Some of us made resolutions

Few of which we have kept

And again we come to that time

When we look back in regret.

But never mind my friend,

We will do it again just like before

For it’s a cycle and a tradition,

And to the majority, it is no more.

The twelve days of Christmas

Will end on Old Year’s night

Just six days since Christmas day,

Yes, I have counted it right.

In the Barbadian tradition

We will be into the New Year,

The twelve days will have ended

When the eighth day appear.

I am well aware of the song

That we sing so convincingly

But on the first day of the year

Christmas ceases to be.

It is the practice in Barbados

That our twelve days are seven

And Christmas passes so fast,

It seems like all of a sudden.

  

Lights will be up a little longer

And Christmas songs will be played

But it just doesn’t feel like Christmas

On New Year’s Day.

There is a different focus

Especially regarding the year ahead,

For some, it is with a renewed hope

For others, it’s a sense of dread.

The seven days of Christmas

Are over in a flash

And at the beginning of the Year

There is little or no cash.

The excitement of the season

Is no longer inviting

And on eighth day of Christmas

We are no longer celebrating.

The beginning of the New Year

Spells the ending of Christmas

And the next four days of the season

Brings on a different thrust.

In just seven days it is over

Though we sing “twelve” in the song,

The New Year is upon us

And we have to move along.

The seven days of Christmas

To me, has become quite clear

So all that’s left for me to tell you is,

 “Have a Happy New Year!”

Stewart Russell © December 2019

My Wish for Barbados

Just a short while ago

We were celebrating Yuletide,

It was the month of December

And the temperature was mild.

 Christmas was gone in a flash

And resolutions were being made

With the hope, I would imagine

That one or two would prevail.

Now in the month of November

Fast approaching Independence Day,

Time really flies, it is true,

We cannot help but say.

It was tied to having fun

But as I see it, no longer so,

It appears, at least to me

It is now on rapid go!

Sometimes I get the feeling

We are hurtling towards something,

I just trust it’s something good,

I mean, something worth enjoying.

This year has had its share

Of things quite horrifying,

Particularly the first three months

With a number of our youth dying.

The gun was partly responsible

And so too was the knife,

I long for a day to come

When there will be no more strife.

I wonder if it is possible

It can happen in my time

But I would surely like a Barbados

Full of people who are kind.

Like in earlier times

In our booming tourist industry

When the tourists themselves spoke

Of our vibrant hospitality.

It appears then, we understood

What tourism meant to us

And we did everything possible

To be a people they could trust.

We had our sea and sun

Just like we still have today

But we also had a people

Who understood the bajan way.

O that we could return

Not necessarily to the past

But to the attitudes and behaviors

When Barbados was simply class.

To the community spirit

That we are trying so hard to revive

That in a past, not so long ago

It just naturally survived.

A time when drugs were unheard of

And community spirit was strong

A block was under a streetlamp

And not for planning wrong.

But for passing on information

About the olden days

And teaching those who gathered

About the proven bajan way.

The attitude of sharing

And looking out for one another,

O, that we could return to this

And get rid of the present bother.

With progress has come a price

That really would not have been

If we had maintained the attitude

Of that earlier bajan scene.

As this year hurtles on

To its inevitable end,

I wish that we would return

To those attributes, my friend.

Stewart Russell © November 2019

One-Quarter Gone

One of the quarters gone

Leaves three out of four,

If one quarter is gone

Then there are three to go.

In considering this

I shall present this year

But first the quarter concept

I believe this would be fair.

When we think of a quarter

We may think of a group

Or we may think of a whole

Neither is in dispute.

Of twelve months in a year

Three makes your quarter

But you won’t represent this

As though dealing with water.

A rectangle may be used

To represent your water,

With four equal levels indicated

Any one is your quarter.

With a year on the other hand

Divide twelve into four groups

The groups must be equal

So that no one can refute.

January, February and March

Have quickly gone,

April 1^st is the signal

The second quarter has dawned.

If you have a plan

For any project this year

During the next three quarters

You must take especial care.

Any quarter taken for granted

Will just flit away

And your project will have failed

At the end of the day.

  

A quarter can be a circle

 And that would make it a whole,

As in the case of our money

This I’m sure you know.

Hence a whole quarter is gone

In this present year

And there’s not much to show

For many I fear.

We must redeem the time

That is given us this day

So this quarter won’t be wasted

And regret comes our way.

Spend your quarters wisely

And the dollars will be all right,

There’s not much going around

That’s most people’s plight.

Recall your resolutions

At the beginning of this year,

Keep them always before you

And treat to them with care.

For one quarter has gone

Soon this one will be too,

If you still think you have time

You’d better change that view.

 Today is called All Fools’ Day

But you don't have to be a fool,

Similarly we are in Lent

So don’t be the devil’s tool.

Stewart Russell © April 1, 2019

August Is Here

August come it must

The eighth month of the year,

How this year has rushed on!

I can’t believe August is here.

June too soon

July stand by

August come it must

We’re seeing time fly.

Resolutions in January

Are now probably dead,

Back to the old routine

That resolve has fled.

Quite comfortable again

Being who I am,

I really can’t change that

So away with that plan.

I am having a good run

I trust that you can see,

I figure if I change

Then I won’t be me.

Have a great August

That’s my wish for you,

Deal with today

Tomorrow is not for you.

Though time flies fast

Tomorrow never comes,

It will have been today

Before the rising sun.

Surely you know this

The sun didn’t begin today

For before the sun had risen

Today was already here.

It was never meant to be

That the sun begins a day,

It’s just the lighted part

That is nature’s way.

This poem so far

Was written in the first person,

Go back to verse one

That’s where it was begun.

But please understand

It is not really about me,

It is just the general trend

I wish that you would see.

A lot of what is done

Is always done for a while

But regarding human change

Seldom changing is the style.

So with all of this in mind

A blessed August to you,

Any day is a day for change

Once it’s a positive view.

Emancipation day is here

Be safe and don’t overdo,

Bear in mind work is tomorrow

The boss will be expecting you.

Today is a special day

If you doubt me ask my wife

Thirty-seven years ago today

She rearranged my life.

Stewart Russell © August 2018