Making Sense of Nonsense

 

 

“Impossible!” you say,

“It’s no way such can be done,”

But I say that we definitely have to,

Given how things are being run.

 

That is, if it's really true,

For I believe it cannot be

But if on the other hand it is true

Sooner or later we shall see.

 

Here of late, I coin the phrase,

I am “too dumb to be impressed!”

And this means I don’t understand

And won’t even bother to guess.

 

What is 400% interest

Especially on foreign loans?

Was it that ridiculous in the first place

Or over time has grown?

 

Clearly it is not simple interest;

But both compound and complex,

And if someone had done this to me

I would be violently vexed.

 

I thought I had heard recently

About loans at 1% interest

But 400% interest is a quantum leap

Hence, my present stress.

 

If it is growing at a frenetic pace

We need to quickly pay it off

If not, I tell you Madam Prime Minister,

We are in for a gigantic loss.

 

I note it is presently a concern

To you and your financial team

But please tell me how we got here

Coming off the COVID scene?

 

Were the loan terms, Madam PM,

Not clearly enumerated

Or did it appear to be such easy money

That common sense evaporated?

 

 

Bear with me, if you will,

As I try to make sense of nonsense,

I do not mean to be disingenuous-

Madam PM, I mean no offense.

 

I know the hold you have

On supporters local and foreign

And the lack of dissent among your team

Says to me there is a problem.

 

For one of them should have seen

This oncoming hurricane

And warn the rest of your Cabinet

The light is an oncoming train.

 

Is there a plan, I ask, Madam PM,

To settle this quadruple loan?

For this astronomical 400% interest growth

Is clearly out of our zone.

 

And, what is your expectation Madam PM,

If this matter is not addressed soon?

Will Barbados still belong to us

Or to some international tycoon?

 

Daily I am hearing rumours

Of countries being swallowed up

And I am sincerely hoping, Madam PM,

That such is not our cup.

 

 

 

Be it China or India or Africa

Or even Trinidad in the Caribbean,

Friends of all and satellites of none

It’s back to the Barrow scene.

 

Uh can’t make sense, I must conclude,

Of the enormity of this interest nonsense,

400% interest on foreign loans is staggering!

Madam PM, I mean no offense.

 

Stewart Russell © May 2, 2023

 

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