No Replacement Please

 

 

It is not good, I dare say,

To remove National landmarks

And what the authorities tried to do

Really hurt my heart.

 

Independence Day was to go

To be replaced by the Republic,

This landmark, until public uproar,

Was to be the edict.

 

I recall at some point

The promised of a referendum

But suddenly, a decision was taken

Without public consultation.

 

Well it did not go down well

Given the promise that was made

And the public with one voice

Shouted it was to fail.

 

The Government reneged

Via its public relations setup

And a certain minister apologized

For the unfortunate mix-up.

 

It shows, someone had said,

We are a Government that listen,

Then was certainly not the right time

But it could eventually happen.

 

 

To sneak it in the backdoor

Could be the considered plan,

After all, we have seen such before

When the door was unjammed.

 

If this is the present thought

I say, “No replacement please,”

Independence Day is not nomenclature

So, you'd better freeze.

 

It is far deeper in significance

Than any political party

That has grown too big for its britches

With its perceived superiority.

 

From Independence to Republic

Sounds like a complete erase,

Independence becoming a means to an end

Achieved in this BLP phase.

 

An eradication of an era

Indelible in our minds and hearts,

Independence Day to Republic Day

Sounds kind of BLP smart.

 

Will Independence Day finally go?

I sincerely hope not,

And so, I plead with this Government,

Please don’t change the locks.

 

 

Do not remove the shoulders

Upon which you now stand,

You will plummet from your lofty height

And fatally crash-land.

 

And no Tom-foolery either

Bringing Barbados National Day,

This is more than nomenclature-

Now way Jose!

No replacement or displacement

Of Independence Day,

Merge the two since the dates are alike,

If there is no other way.

 

Stewart Russell © November 17, 2023

 

The Cellphone Camera

 

 

Something about a camera

That I appreciate:

It captures where you point it

It does not differentiate.

 

Quite obedient I suppose

It gets the job done,

It doesn’t shirk responsibility

And can provide much fun.

 

It has come a long way

From many years ago

But even though primitive

It created quite a show.

 

Quite a lot was left

To the photographer then,

He was the master

Behind the camera lens.

 

 

Today it is so different

Even in the simplest cellphone

And everyone’s a photographer

Once one they own.

 

From stills to videos

Any story they can create,

And that is the chief reason

Why the camera I appreciate.

 

Now given the Internet

These stories can go viral,

In a flash they can be communicated

To a world of people.

 

We should understand therefore

That such technology

Should be handled with care

And much responsibility.

 

 

What an amazing device

A cellphone camera can be!

But in the hands of the lawless

It can cause much misery.

 

It can capture a moment

And later create a panic

When that private behaviour

Is revealed to the public.

 

On these such occasions

The victims are not aware

That their actions are being captured

So they do not fear.

 

But later when they realized

Their secret is exposed

They wish to bury themselves

And pull in the mould.

 

Such cases could range from

From the vile to the criminal,

From a break-and-entering act

To the morally reprehensible.

 

 

Such are the possibilities

Given this modern day facility:

The cellphone camera I mean

With its enormous capabilities.

 

It truly narrows the gap

Between the novice and expert,

It can bring joy to the public

Or it can cause much hurt.

 

This is simply because

Despite its technological pitch

It does not come with

An automatic censoring switch.

 

Something about the camera

That I would like to see change:

A technological advancement

To limit the morally deranged.

 

Such would auger well

To promote its positive use

And stamp out the undesirable

With its flagrant abuse.

 

Stewart Russell © June 2018

 

Where de Public Gone?

 

 

How we gine be a republic

And we en ask de people?

Wuh we frighten ‘bout?

We expecting trouble?

 

I did lying down in my bed

And sudden so I jump up,

De way we doin’ tings dese days

We gine run out o’ luck.

 

If we don’t put in de public

It would only be a Re-

And we leffin’ out de people

So dah’s all it could be.

 

Before sixty-six

We had to bow to de throne

The Queen was we monarch

And Bim din we own.

 

But under Errol Barrow

We decide to get marry,

That meant running we own affairs

Irrespect o’ de Monarchy.

 

De chile had become a man

And he decide to lef’ home,

He tek heself a wife

And he went ‘pon he own.

 

At least dah’s wuh I tought

But he din went ‘pon he own,

‘Cause even doh he did marry

He like he still live home.

 

He din he own boss

‘Cause he mother still hold sway,

Apparently, this was Bim,

Still in de colonial way.

 

 

Well ‘long come Mia Mottley

And she want to brek clean,

So we gine become a Republic

And dismiss de Queen.

 

We gine marry to de people,

De people gine hold de sway

But she en botherin’ to ask dem,

She en gine dah way.

 

So, yuh see wuh I mean

By “where de public gone”?

Wuh, yuh en even start out yet

And yuh lost yuh form.

 

If yuh doan ask de public

Yuh could only be a Re-

‘Cause de public is de people

I hope all yuh see.

 

Sorry fuh de lil bit o’ Trini

But dah’s de influence,

I gine soon shut muh mout

Before dey call me a nuisance.

 

When yuh disregard de public

Yuh gine only left de Re-

And dah gine left yuh wide open

To be a nobody.

 

Re-who? duh gine ask,

Dah could be Trinidad or China,

I know fuh sure

It en likely to be Dominica.

 

So leh we spare a little time

And ask John-public…

But apparently, we don’t intend to

And dah’s why I smell a trick.

 

Stewart Russell © November 13, 2021

 

Be Wary Though Weary

 

 

 

I know we’re COVID weary:

It’s been around a while

And it continues to wreak havoc

For many a human mile.

 

As for me, I am tired

And wish it would go away

But even though I get COVID weary

I keep my guard up every day.

 

Stay COVID wary!

Be always on the look-out!

That COVID will be around a while

I have not the slightest doubt.

 

Stay COVID wary, I repeat,

Do not be weary in well doing,

Protect yourself and your fellowman

This advice is worth chewing.

 

There is doubt about vaccines

But little about the masks,

Therefore, adhering to this protocol

Should not be a difficult task.

 

I seldom hear a cough or sneeze

When I am out in public,

It appears that the common cold

Has speedily taken its exit.

 

 

One doctor explained to me

It’s because we are wearing masks

Therefore, because of this behavior

Flu viruses will not be passed.

 

He also highlighted hygiene

As in the washing of the hands,

As we continue to do this regularly

It will upset COVID’s plans.

 

Physical distance is not as easy

As the afore-mentioned two

But it’s an absolutely critical protocol

For each one of us to do.

 

I do believe these protocols

Indicate how wary we should be

And regarding their constant practice

Please do not grow weary.

 

 

These two words are synonyms

And they really sound alike

But please do not confuse the two

As we continue this COVID fight.

 

For if we weary in being wary

Then COVID will dominate

But if we be wary while being weary

COVID will disintegrate.

 

A word to the fully vaccinated:

Continue to wear your mask!

There is still a lot about COVID-19

That we are yet to grasp.

 

Stay COVID wary, I admonish,

Adhere to the protocols!

And until we are out of the woods

Put risky behaviours on stall.

 

Stewart Russell © August 17, 2021