No Receipts for Seats

 

 

“I normally sit there

But I guess you didn’t know,

First time here I guess

But someone could have told you so.”

 

“What are you trying to tell me?

I do not understand,

One sits in an empty pew

That is the usual plan.”

 

“I am a member here

In fact I have been for years

And right where you are sitting

I always sit down there.”

 

Everyone here knows that

And now you know it too,

Don’t try to ignore me

When I am speaking to you.”

 

 

“So I guess this is your seat,

Is that what you are trying to say?

And that you sit here all the time

And at this church that is the way?

 

Does each member own a seat?

I thought they were all free,

Even now looking at the seats

There’s not a name that I can see.

 

There’s no name on this pew

I can certainly tell you that,

I checked it when I came in

I can attest to that fact.”

 

“Well I will stand right here

Until you get up and move,

You are sitting in my seat

And I have nothing more to prove.”

 

Well he was sticking to his word

And the service soon began,

He intended standing right there

This was obviously the plan.

 

 

The seat was definitely his

And this visitor was trespassing,

This was where he always sat

And there’s no way he was moving.

 

The pastor approached the pulpit

And asked why he was standing,

He said he wanted the man to move

That’s all he was demanding.

 

“He could go somewhere else

There are many more seats,

I know you understand me pastor

So there will be no need to repeat.”

 

“In a minute I will,” the pastor said,

“If only you could prove,

Show me how that seat is yours

And I will make him move.

 

If you could produce for all of us

A genuine, authentic receipt,

I would make him move immediately

And you could have your seat.”

 

However, I know that’s impossible

And I do not need to repeat,

Since we have never held a sale

There are no receipts for seats.

 

 

So as we start this service

You have a choice of several pews,

Just remember my dear brother

That one doesn’t belong to you.”

 

Stewart Russell © February 2019

 

On Your Mark, Set, Go!

 

Well the bell has been rung

Not for school I mean

But for the elections

The most contested ever seen

Some seven parties, I’m told

Will woo the electorate

And which ever is successful

Will govern the state

The DLP, the incumbents

Will try in earnest at a three-peat

The BLP, the main opposition

Is planning for their defeat

Along with Solutions Barbados  

There are BIM and the UPP

All vying in a desperate bid

To be the next governing party

Realistically I would say

It’s between the main two

Most persons will vote DLP or BLP

That’s traditionally true

But especially regarding the UPP

The BLP should be concerned

There’s a distinct possibility

That their effort could be spurned

A number of these candidates

Were recently of the BLP

But a major falling out

Inspired the formation of the UPP

One candidate in particular

Became one of two independents

But then she joined the UPP

And strongly voiced her intent

Much of the UPP’s attack

Has been targeting the BLP

Providing a chance for the DLP

To be the winning party

  

I recall as a matter of fact

The PM had given her his blessing

When she attended her first session

Before the House began discussing

There are some who believed then

His welcome was two-fold

The BLP had lost another MP

And her constituency the D’s could hold

In the event of the elections

While BLP and UPP fight each other

The DLP could sneak right through

And win with much less a bother

You might have noted in verse 12

“Another MP” was used

You would recall a former PM

The BLP he too had refused

He had resigned his membership

From the party he once led

Citing his difficulty with an MP

That currently is the head

There is a lot of criticism

Regarding what the DLP has done

But given the challenge of the UPP

They could yet win this one

It is not likely for a third party

To upset either of the traditional two

But I look with anticipation

At what a certain independent will do

Having given up her vocation

She has also joined the fight

And from what I have been hearing

Many believe she is right

Some have pledged their support

She can expect to get their vote

But to win that City seat

Is still too much to hope

She too will divide the votes

And maybe give the D’s a chance

At pulling off a victory

And their number of seats enhance

By May 25 we should know

Whether it will be the D’s or the B’s

And in addition to that

Whether it will be two parties or three

I will not attempt to speculate

Regarding who will win a seat

But should a third party win the election

That would be quite a feat

Well they are off and running

But the electorate will decide

And as the judges in this election

By their decision all must abide

It’s the time they have the power

To bring big-ups to their knees

As they woo and beg and plead

“Can you give me your vote please?”

There is talk about vote buying

But that is nothing new

When needs are met before elections

That is vote buying too

So go and vote if that’s your wish

And let’s have a peaceful campaign

Whoever the winning party is

We’ll have to live under their reign

And in the final analysis

Regardless of who our leaders are

Unless they get our firm support

Our country won’t get very far

Stewart Russell © April 2018